Organizational learning and innovation are major ingredients for the economy that rely on knowledge in this age of globalization. Organizational learning is a type of process where current knowledge and insight are gained by the standard organizational members’ experience to influence job behaviors and improve the firm's capabilities potentially. The organizational learning processes produce organizational knowledge reflected in shared mental models, formalized procedures, theories in use, and information databases that guide job behaviors. According to Migdadi, (2019), the organizational learning that emanates from philosophical roots has even developed organizational assumptions that generate learning for firms that promote innovation to come into existence. Generative learning is fundamental for organizations that operate in a highly complex environment where knowledge obsolescence is much greater. Notably, organizational learning can develop, transform, and exploit new knowledge, which promotes organizational innovation. The research conducted by Hartley and Rashman (2018) across various geographical boundaries has made it clear that innovation relies on its organizational learning.
On the other hand, organizational innovation is the introduction of something new to an organization. Since organizational environments are frequently transforming, organizations need to be innovative to survive and prosper. As argued by Ghasemzadeh et al (2019), organizational innovation can contribute to the effectiveness of the adopting organization. Therefore, this implies that innovation is a means of transforming an organization, whether as a response to internal or external environment changes or as an action taken to impact the organizational environment. Through innovation, organizations can fit in the ever-changing environment so that they can survive and prosper. For example, if the current organizational environment emphasizes workforce empowerment and democratization, organizations will need innovative practices that emphasize democratic innovations to prosper. This paper seeks to analyze and review an organization’s team learning. It will further discuss how organizations’ team learning impacts growth and innovation.
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Team learning in organizations
Team learning is a crucial learning unit in modern organizations. Organizations depend on team learning to develop new knowledge, solve dynamic problems, and improve task-specific project teams' performance. Apart from improving the performance of task-specific project teams, team learning also brings together the expertise, diverse skills, and experience needed to deal with the increasingly complex organizational problems. Team learning further enables quick and flexible responses to economic, political, and technological pressures that modern organizations face. Additionally, team learning fosters knowledge sharing and collaboration across Spatio-temporal, organizational, and cultural boundaries.
The emergence of teams as an integral unit of many organizations has developed an interest in the team learning topic. As teams become central to the organizational functioning, a genuine interest in understanding factors that impact team effectiveness develops. Team learning has been noted as a powerful mechanism through which various teams adapt to changes in their environment, develop their performance capabilities, renew, and sustain their performance over a given period. Additionally, team learning interest has been developed by its significant role in organizational learning.
Dimensions of the organization’s team learning
Team learning is conceived along five significant dimensions. One of the dimensions that team learning is conceived along is the degree of change. In this dimension, team learning is viewed as either a revolutionary or evolutionary in the degree of change. Numerous models, such as developmental model, view transformation as a function of drastic continuous learning. On the contrary, a revolutionary perspective suggests that team learning happens in a punctuated fashion, and learning develops fast and diverse changes in team behaviors and beliefs.
Permeability is another dimension of team learning. It describes the extent to which team learning is seen as having a significant and sustainable impact on groups or whether learning has a temporary and insignificant influence on teams. Gomes and Wojahn (2017) describe learning as a specific relationship function. This implies that learning is a product of constant shifting relationships and memory. Likewise, team learning is a source of variance. This means that team learning emerges from within team variance, where individual team members come with diverse experiences that contribute to team learning.
Apart from conceiving team learning along with a source of variance, team learning is also conceived on the nature of knowledge. A typical interest of those people that study learning is the difference between subjective and objective knowledge. This particular interest in knowledge reflects a concern with epistemology in the general study of learning. The difference between objective and subjective knowledge is reflected in the different methodologies utilized to study team learning. Some researchers view learning as a coordination function of subjective cognitive processes while others view knowledge from an objective perspective, as evidenced by the measured outcome variables. Therefore, the nature of knowledge is connected to the learning conceptualization as either an outcome or a process.
Team learning has also been conceived along process versus outcome dimensions. As much as there are disagreements in studies over whether learning is a process or an outcome, studies conceptualize learning as a process that contributes to enhanced performance outcomes. For organizations to create an understanding of learning that is diverse, it is important to differentiate team learning from related concepts such as personal learning, team performance, and group development.
Impacts of team learning on growth and innovation
Team learning impacts the growth and innovation of an organization in various ways. Firstly, team learning improves team dynamics. As opined by Abdi et al. (2018), low team dynamic undermines project success and reduces employees' morale and engagement in an organization. A group that does not explore alternatives virtually is more likely to make wrong choices. Therefore, a group must understand ways it can to pre-empt any issue that may arise. Through team learning, employees can better understand each other’s preferences better, interpret their intentions more accurately, and adapt their behavior through training to the appropriate beneficial outcome.
Besides, team learning builds a team that performs its tasks efficiently. Team members feel motivated and comprehend that what they are executing is of great significance through team learning. In a high-performing team, differences are promptly addressed with a certain level of maturity. Team learning also adds value to the organization. Learning in teams is an important mechanism through which learning organizations become strategically and operationally responsive and adaptive.
Furthermore, team learning impacts growth and innovation in an organization by attracting and retaining talent. Initially, learning concentrated on enhancing productivity at both employee and organizational levels. While this is still essential today, team learning now has a broader impact and contributes to employability. In the current work landscape, employees are unlikely to remain in the same organization for quite a long time because of a lack of team learning opportunities. Of late, individuals list opportunities to learn as reasons for joining an organization. A lack of these opportunities may encourage employees to move into a new workplace.
Team learning also develops people and capabilities. In this ever-changing digital world, knowledge becomes outdated promptly. This implies that the strengths and individual attributes employees bring to their work become irrelevant. Through team learning and development opportunities, employees can be updated and be prepared for change as it happens. Studies reveal that when organizations invest in the next generation of leaders through team learning, they see an impressive return. Organizations that encourage team learning are likely to achieve their performance targets.
Team learning also creates a value-based culture. Team learning and development is essential in communicating the values an organization wants to prioritize. In this era, where organizations are increasingly becoming virtual, team learning builds a sense of community and connection between employees. Millennial employees are interested in working for organizations that share values and immensely contribute to society. Finally, team learning also builds an employer brand. Team learning and development enhance the reputation of an organization and further attract new talent. A concise and robust brand communicates a clear message to prospective employees. Therefore, organizations need to encourage team learning because it is significant for the development of the organization.
In summary, team learning in an organization is a significant ingredient in the development of an organization. Team learning involves various dimensions. These dimensions of team learning are conceived along the degree of change, permeability, source of variance, nature of knowledge, and processes versus outcomes. The organization relies on team learning to solve organizational problems, develop new insight, and enhance its performance task. Team learning also brings together the expertise, diverse skills, and experience needed to deal with the increasingly complex organizational problems. Team learning also contributes to development and innovation. It contributes to the development and innovation of an organization by improving team dynamics, building a high performing team, developing people and their capabilities, attracting and retaining talent, creating value-based culture, and building employer brand. It builds employers' brand by communicating a clear message to prospective employees. Organizations should encourage team learning and innovation to fit in the ever-changing environment to survive and prosper. Organizations need to develop, transform, and exploit new knowledge through team learning, promoting organizational innovation. By so doing, the organization will achieve high productivity from their employees.
References
Abdi, K., Mardani, A., Senin, A. A., Tupenaite, L., Naimaviciene, J., Kanapeckiene, L., & Kutut, V. (2018). The effect of knowledge management, organizational culture and organizational learning on innovation in automotive industry. Journal of Business Economics and Management , 19 (1), 1-19.
Gomes, G., & Wojahn, R. M. (2017). Organizational learning capability, innovation and performance: study in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMES). Revista de Administração (São Paulo) , 52 (2), 163-175.
Ghasemzadeh, P., Nazari, J. A., Farzaneh, M., & Mehralian, G. (2019). Moderating role of innovation culture in the relationship between organizational learning and innovation performance. The Learning Organization.
Hartley, J., & Rashman, L. (2018). Innovation and inter-organizational learning in the context of public service reform. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 84(2), 231-248.
Migdadi, M. M. (2019). Organizational learning capability, innovation and organizational performance. European Journal of Innovation Management.
