Summary: The Learning Enterprise by K. Ford (2020)
Overview:
The business environment is critical, time-competitive, global, and technically advanced.
Jobs are cognitively complex, demanding soft skills, teamwork, and collaboration in a diverse workforce.
Lean organizations encourage managers to be coaches, mentors, and facilitators.
Continuous skill upgrading is essential due to the expected global skills shortage by 2030.
Automation, AI, neural networks, and machine learning will impact jobs.
Learning Challenges:
Root Causes and Levels Perspective:
Learning is social, relational, and team-based.
Analysis of feedback loops is crucial to understand what fosters learning.
Employees may want to upgrade skills; root causes of learning problems need examination.
Four Challenges to Learning: a. Initial and Sustained Development:
Quick, efficient, and effective onboarding and training are essential.
Weak starts can be costly; focus on deep, specialized knowledge and generalizable skills.
b. Skills Upgrading and Transitions:
Develop talent to meet strategic goals and minimize skills obsolescence.
Government partnerships can aid in maintaining employment.
c. Enhance Teamwork and Collaboration:
Effective communication and collaboration drive innovation.
Teams must excel in best practices, integration, and innovation.
d. Leadership Development:
CEOs encouraged for social responsibility and working with diverse cultures.
First-line and middle management urged to focus on coaching and mentoring.
Case Example: AT&T's Approach:
Identified skill gaps through needs assessment.
Developed internal programs and partnered with vendors/schools for credentialing.
Broadened roles for remaining employees, emphasizing self-management tools.
Emphasized market value in compensation, with continued layoffs for those struggling.
Learning Frameworks:
Four key learning approaches:
Formal training programs.
Guided learning (on-the-job training).
Developmental job experiences.
Self-directed learning.
Learning Systems Model:
Systematic development and implementation of learning programs.
Assessing needs, determining approach, developing plans, implementing, and evaluating outcomes.
Generative learning involves working on an issue before formal instruction or discussion.
Evidence-Based Approach:
Informed decision-making based on evidence.
Levels: Copying best practices, judgments from experienced specialists, empirically based research.
Mediation effect: Motivation impacts learning, and knowledge gained affects application.
Analyzing and Combining Evidence:
Interpret empirical findings, calculate correlations (e.g., R-values), use multiple studies.
Meta-analytic review involves statistical procedures to aggregate findings and identify patterns.