The Learning Organization

Abstract Why do organizations need to learn? This question will be discussed in this article, as well as the definition and characteristics of learning organizations. The reader will get a comprehensive description of a learning organization based on Peter M. Senge “The fifth discipline” to understand how a learning organization differs from traditional organizations. The final chapter will get an outlook that future learning processes within networks will have a stronger role, since it allows a better understanding between intraorganizational and interorganizational learning processes. Purpose of the article: This article will lead you within the topic of learning organizations. It will set a first input to different approaches how a learning organization can be defined and get established.Through this the reader will get an impression that a common vision is very important for these approches. So this article will set a first trigger for the interested reader for learning organisazations. Methodology/methods: Literature study for creation of new knowledge due to scientific work.Scientific aim: The reader will get a comprehensive description of a learning organization based on Peter M. Senge “The fifth discipline” to understand how a learning organization differs from traditional organizations due to literatur study. The article will show that there is still a lot of research potential to create a role model concept for the implementation of a learning organizsation. Findings: Due to the inconsistent research results further multifaceted approaches remain to gather further research results. As more people will be employed in organizations, communication will become a more important component within a learning organization. Furher more a common vision is very important to establish a learning organization. Conclusions (limits, implications etc): Core issue lies in questioning how learning processes of individuals and within organizations are working. The various concepts for “learning organization” describing organizational learning, to constantly expand the learning ability of organizations and, consequently, the skills to solve problems from individuals and organizations itself. Here the integrative approaches e.g. the fifth discipline try to close the research gap and clarify the phenomenon of organizational learning. (cf. Liebsch 2011:124). Due to the inconsistent research results further multifaceted approaches remain to gather further research results. As more people will be employed in organizations, communication will become a more important component within a learning organization. (cf. Unger 2002: 38). Different approaches showed the importance of communication within learning organizations as a fundamental component of those. Following the results of these concepts, it is important to promote collective learning processes so that organizational learning can occur. (cf. Unger 2002: 39). In future learning within networks will get a more and more important role, as it allows to forster the understanding between intraorganisational and interorganizational learning processes. (cf. Liebsch 2011: 124).