Next-Generation Learning Organization

What is Learning Organization?

The Learning Organization (LO) is an organization with the learning culture where all members constantly learn, change, improve and grow by themselves in pursuit of accomplishing the shared vision of the organization.

In the 1980s, the organizational learning was highlighted in US and Europe to build organizations which would survive and grow in the global marketplaces.

In 1990, "The Fifth Discipline (by Peter M. Senge, Professor of MIT)" was published which later got called the bible of LO, and LO entered into the new phase of practice in business.

US Ministry of Labor and ASTD (American Society for Training and Development) published a joint report where they pointed out the human development was directly linked to the nation's productivity. Thereafter many corporations studied and adopted LO which later partially evolved into Action Learning.

Why now again?

In 1980s while the organizational learning was in studies in US and Europe, Japanese companies emerged rapidly in the global markets as a growing power. The researchers of organizational learning naturally focused on this growing power, thus paving the base for economic revival of western companies in and after 1990s.

On the contrary, Japanese companies stepped out to another direction. They, not conscious of having formed the LO in themselves which we call the 1st-generation Japan-style LO, gradually began losing their competitive edge and dived into the lost decade or 20 years.

What we propose to Japanese companies is that they definitely need to rebuild the strength they used to have in the past to survive in the global competition.

Of course, the working environment we are in will not allow companies to rebuild the corporate culture exactly as prevailed in the past.

Consequently they need to build the next-generation Learning Organization based on the current business environment. The next-generation LO is, of course, applicable to not only Japanese companies but all growing companies in the world.

Corporate culture to build Learning Organization

Changing the corporate culture has no immediate measure and requires long-time efforts with the help of people working in every part of the organization.

However, Japanese companies used to have the culture of LO without noticing. This learning culture still prevails in our society having various study groups apart from the business.

What companies in Japan should consider is to revive the culture for building LO in their organizations. And we believe this is not only good in Japan but in other countries as well because "Humans are thinking reeds." as Pascal said.

5 elements essential to build Learning Organization

  • Personal Mastery
  • Mental Models
  • Shared Vision
  • Team Learning
  • Systems Thinking
Source: The Fifth Discipline (by Peter M. Senge 1990)

Build Learning Organization by using content repository

How to build Learning Organization

Shubiki Corporation and its research arm, BISCUE Research Institute advocate the use of BISCUE Business Content as a core to build Learning Organization, which:

  • provide diversified business content
  • cover various business subjects that members will share
  • supply materials to discuss among the group members

By using our content repository, you can expect various learning communities in your organization, which exactly form the Communities of Practice (CoP) the learning industry presently focuses on.

Growing companies should try to build small group activities like QC circles which prevailed in Japan in 1980s now as CoP and create learning cultures in their organizations.

If you use BISCUE Fixed-Fee Package with communication tools like BISCUE SNS, you can expect more in building the corporate culture.

We offer relevant services as well.

  • Hold seminars and lectures relating to Learning Organization in Japan and in overseas countries.
  • Send a learning facilitator to help build the team learning.
  • Provide online facilitation service.
  • Train internal learning facilitators.
  • Support building Learning Organization with alliance with universities.

About the lectures in overseas countries, you can refer to the following.

We are waiting for your inquiry.

For inquiry about Learning Organization

After having heard about your present status and needs, we will be proposing the solution that suits your requirements.

No consulting fee will be charged until we make a contract. Please feel free to contact us.

  • Contact us by using this form.
  • We will respond to you via e-mail or phone and ask about your training requirements
  • Based on above, we will submit a proposal for your consideration.
  • We will provide you with a trial ID when necessary.

We are waiting for your inquiry.


Last updated 11/08/2021 |