ENABLERS OF LEARNING ORGANIZATION- A CASE OF MANAGEMENT INSTITUTES IN INDIA

Abstract

Present study intends to identify enablers of learning at individual, team, and organizational level to build a learning organization. It also investigates the role of learning organization in developing an employer brand. These enablers are resonant leadership, intrapreneurship, knowledge management, total quality management, and supportive learning culture.300 management institutes located in 19 states of India selected at random have been considered as a unit of analysis. 300 directors and 300 faculty members were contacted to seek their opinion on various items of survey questionnaire. The survey questionnaire has been self-designed with the help of review of relevant literature on learning organizations. Faculty members have responded to questions on resonant leadership, intrapreneurship, knowledge management, supportive learning culture, and employer branding. Whereas, directors have responded to questions on total quality management and learning organizations. Structural equation modeling using AMOS 21.0 version has been used to check validity of constructs and test the hypothesized relationships among them. Total quality management and supportive learning culture have shown positive influence on learning organization. Resonant leadership, intrapreneurship, and knowledge management have non-significant relationship with learning organization. Consequently, learning organization also has a non-significant relationship with employer brand. In the present study, total quality management and supportive learning culture have been found to act as enablers of learning organization. The management institutes who have participated in the survey affirmed that their emphasis is on infrastructure building. These institutes have not been able to transform as a true learning organization as they are facing several impediments such as bureaucracy, power distance, and equivocal approach of faculty members. Though, learning organization is an ideal concept practiced mostly in western organizations, but in reality transforming an educational institute as a learning organization needs to overcome barriers of power and politics, values, and norms. Therefore, the purpose of developing a holistic model of learning organization has been defeated in the current sample.