Unique-6328 Organizational Learning: Learning organization survey

By Fay

Organization Name:

Happy Dictionary Programme, China central Television

Organization Background:

This programme is famous around China. It is featured as a quiz show. Guests can reward with prizes by answering quizzes correctly. There are about 20 staff in the TV team, including producers, hosts, directors, photographers, lighting, interns and so on. Like all entertainment shows team, we are also a very active group.

Survey Results:

Colleague	Leadership that reinforces learning	Learning Process composite	Learning environment composite	Experimentation	Information collection	Analysis
Me	65	85	84	75	93	86
A	63	78	69	86	86	71
B	75	82	69	93	89	74
Average	67	81	74	84	89	77
	Education and training	Information transfer	Psychological safety	Appreciation of differences	Openness to new ideas	Time for reflection
Me	79	93	86	86	100	66
A	76	71	60	61	93	63
B	76	82	71	71	82	54
Average	77	82	72	72	91	61

Analysis

5 items reach top quartile among 12, while 3 of them only get second quartile. There are 4 elements out of 5 top ones belong to the concrete learning process and practices.

Good learning items:

From the table above, the RED item are the ones who jump to the top category. As 4 items are in concrete learning process and practice. It reflects the organization is a open information communication group. And in practice, the TV team does share information quite often due to the following potential reasons. People who are in this field especially entertainment area are full of passion and must have creative minds. Their characters are open and brave. Working with them, I could acquire many information all the time, never feel bored.

Experimentation:

The organization experiments with new ways of working frequently. When some good ideas come up, after the meeting approve, we will do the pre-test. If something that come raise our audience rating, we will embedded it into the programme. The test is carried out in a professional method. The leaders are encourage and stimulate us to explore new ideas.

Analysis:

When we have meeting , it engages in productive conflict and debate during discussion seeking dissenting viewing.

Information collection and transfer:

In order to have a scientific assessment, the organization not only collect information inside, as well as outside like experts, audience, advertisement customers, etc. The data is public. When we in a low point, the leaders will not just hide it, they let everyone knows in oder to stimulate us.

Learning process composite:

Organizational learning is strongly influenced by leadership. I cannot totally agree this organization is a well-processed learning environment. When I worked as a intern, I did learn lots of professional and practical things gradually.

What should be improved?

Phycological safety

Although we are brave to express our ideas, while everyone in this organization is over stressed. For me, I always express my views, but compare with the other two colleagues, perhaps not everyone in this group like me. Especially some senior staff, they might hide their views due to different reasons.

Systematic training

In this organization, the leader level staff always have chance to go outside and open horizon. While these opportunities are not for everyone. Some staff seldom learn more things according to my observation. The huge imbalance in this organization might create a gap gradually--a knowledge one. The working staff are not ones who receive new things for the first hand, they have to listen to leaders oder. While leaders seldom participant the recording process all the time. The team should create a systematic training plan for all , not just for the few.

Summary

Organizations need to learn more than ever as they confront mounting forces. Although still some shortages exist in the organization in learning environment prospect, it is not a bad one. Strengthen staff is also strengthen the organization.

Reference

David A,Garvin, Amy C Is your a learning organization? March 2008 Harvard Business Review

Attachments:

Fay:

https://survey2.hbs.edu/los/LosResults?sessionId=381B5FE533C282FF08CDA225B0195BD002

Colleague A:

https://survey2.hbs.edu/los/LosResults?sessionId=381B5FE533C282FF08CDA95CCFF8B99E7D

Colleague B:

https://survey2.hbs.edu/los/LosResults?sessionId=381B5FE533C282FF08CDA95DBCFBDE8802