¶ … learning organization. *Consolidate research definitions organization learning. *Explain organization a learning organization (teaching federal government hospital). *Discuss advantages disadvantages organizational learning. The learning organization

The modern day business climate is more challenging and dynamic and it forces the economic agents to seek alternative sources of strategic advantages. One example in this sense is represented by the enhancement of the emphasis placed on supporting learning and the continuous development of the organization of learning. While this concept is gaining more and more interest within the economic agents, it is also highly applicable within public entities, such as hospitals.

This project then starts at the premises that the concept of the learning organization is highly applicable in the context of the teaching federal government hospital. The purpose of this paper is that of supporting a higher understanding of the learning organization, in order to lead to a superior application within the real life situations. In order to attain this objective, a first step is represented by the definition of the concept, the understanding of the concept in the context of the hospital and the identification of its advantages and disadvantages.

2. Definition of the learning organization

The first step in launching a discussion of a learning organization is represented by the provision of an understanding for the concept of the learning organization. One representative definition in this sense is provided by the definition provided by the Business Dictionary, as revealed below:

"Organization that acquires knowledge and innovates fast enough to survive and thrive in a rapidly changing environment.

Learning organizations (1) create a culture that encourages and supports continuous employee learning, critical thinking, and risk taking with new ideas, (2) allow mistakes, and value employee contributions, (3) learn from experience and experiment, and (4) disseminate the new knowledge throughout the organization for incorporation into day-to-day activities" (The Business Dictionary).

The University of Edinburgh defines the concept of the learning organization as corresponding to:

"An organisation that learns and encourages learning among its people. It promotes exchange of information between employees hence creating a more knowledgable workforce....

This produces a very flexible organisation where people will accept and adapt to new ideas and changes through a shared vision" (University of Edinburgh).
In essence, the concept of the learning organization represents the organizational desire to generate flexibility, adaptability and development through the promotion of continuous learning. The definitions provided are virtually similar in meaning, differences being observed at the level of the terminology used. Also, the definition provided by the Business Dictionary is more comprehensive as it reveals four important steps in the implementation of the learning organization, whereas the second definition focuses more on the dimension of information sharing. Both definitions recognize the importance of the role played by the organizational staff members.

Throughout the entire literature even, the definitions of the concept of the learning organization vary in terminologies, but the essence of the message transmitted is the same. Hugh Secord points out the similarities in the definitions of the learning organization and notes that all attempts to defining the concept revolve around two crucial themes, namely the theme of implementation for sustained success, and the theme of knowledge transfer across the institution (Secord, 2003).

3. The teaching hospital

The teaching hospital is, in its nature, a learning organization since it relies on the continuous formation of doctors. The medical field is, in itself, a field in which continuous learning is required even by the most experienced doctors, due to changes in illnesses, but also treatments and new techniques and technologies for diagnosis and treatment.

Still, in the case of the teaching hospital, a particularity is represented by the fact that the institution welcomes young medical school students and graduates and forms them into the medical profession. The novices are gradually introduced to the medical procedures and they are introduced to new knowledge by their supervisors. Within teaching hospitals, it is often a common practice for the patient to be supervised by a physician, who also is a teacher to less experienced doctors. In effect then, the patient will be supervised by a team of physicians. The patient reaction to such a context is mixed, with some patients feeling better attended to, whereas others feel that too many doctors are uncomfortable.

Another particularity of the teaching…