Karen L. Becker

Unlearning as a driver of sustainable change and innovation: three Australian case studies

In building an organisations innovation capacity, managers have to be aware of barriers to learning and have an understanding of the importance of unlearning old ways. Unlearning is emerging as an important element of change and innovation in organisations. As the pace of change continues to increase, it is clear that normal processes of forgetting and transition may not be sufficient. Two key scholars in this field have proposed models of unlearning however, little empirical research exists to further understanding of unlearning and the factors that may impact upon it. This paper reports on case study research aimed at further developing the concept of unlearning. A process model has emerged from the data that highlights inhibitors and enablers of the unlearning process. In an applied sense, the model provides managers with identifiable enablers and inhibitors of individual unlearning; issues which must then be addressed in change strategies at the organisational level.

Embedding information literacy in a first-year business undergraduate course

This article reports on a project to embed information literacy skills development in a first-year undergraduate business course at an Australian university. In accordance with prior research suggesting that first-year students are over-confident about their skills, the project used an optional online quiz to allow students to pre-test their information literacy skills. The students’ lower than expected results subsequently encouraged greater skill development. However, not all students elected to undertake the first quiz. A final assessable information literacy quiz increased the levels of student engagement, suggesting that skill development activities need to be made assessable. We found that undertaking the information literacy quizzes resulted in a statistically significant improvement in students’ information literacy skills from the pre-test to the post-test. This research therefore extends previous research by providing an effective means of delivering information literacy skill development to large cohorts of first-year students.

E‐learning: ageing workforce versus technology‐savvy generation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide description and analysis of how a traditional industry is currently using e-learning, and to identify how the potential of e-learning can be realised whilst acknowledging the technological divide between younger and older workers. Design/methodology/approach – An exploratory qualitative methodology was employed to analyse three key questions: How is the Australian rail industry currently using e-learning? Are there age-related issues with the current use of e-learning in the rail industry? How could e-learning be used in future to engage different generations of learners in the rail industry? Data were collected in five case organisations from across the Australian rail industry. Findings – Of the rail organisations interviewed, none believed they were using e-learning to its full potential. The younger, more technologically literate employees are not having their expectations met and therefore retention of younger workers has become an issue. The challenge for learning and development practitioners is balancing the preferences of an aging workforce with these younger, more “technology-savvy”, learners and the findings highlight some potential ways to begin addressing this balance. Practical implications – The findings identified the potential for organisations (even those in a traditional industry such as rail) to better utilise e-learning to attract and retain younger workers but also warns against making assumptions about technological competency based on age. Originality/value – Data were gathered across an industry, and thus this paper takes an industry approach to considering the potential age-related issues with e-learning and the ways it may be used to meet the needs of different generations in the workplace.

Learning and development opportunities as a tool for the retention of volunteers: a motivational perspective

The growing reliance on volunteers in Australia has heightened the need for non-profit organisations to retain these valuable resources. However, the current literature on volunteer retention is limited. One potential way volunteers can be retained is by providing learning and development opportunities (LDOs). This study investigates the relationship between volunteer perceptions of LDOs, their motivations for volunteering, and retention. Analyses revealed significant main effects for LDOs and volunteer motivations on retention and several interactive effects demonstrating that LDOs can have differential effects on retention depending on the reasons for volunteering.

Exploring Expectations of Nonprofit Management Capabilities

Management capabilities have been widely researched in the private and public sectors, yet there is less evidence relating to the nonprofit sector. Increasing pressures to balance the demands of organizational values with business performance in this sector leads to a focus on the managerial capabilities required to meet these expectations. This article reports an exploratory study of capability expectations of managers within an Australian nonprofit organization. Using semistructured interviews, data were collected from 21 managers across three hierarchical levels. Findings indicate that while there is some overlap with managerial requirements in the private and public sectors, there are some unique aspects of nonprofit operations which warrant further investigation. Specifically, there was an emphasis on personal knowledge and experience (i.e., self-awareness, discipline, knowledge, and strategic thinking) and having a commitment to the nonprofit sector and values of the organization. Expectations also varied depending on the level of management within the organization.

Factors for Successful E-Learning: Does Age Matter?.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors affecting employees’ overall acceptance, satisfaction and future use of e-learning, specifically exploring the impact that age has on the intended future use of e-learning relative to the other potential predictors. Design/methodology/approach The project developed an online survey and invited employees of one Australian rail organisation to participate. Questions were structured around the factors that affect acceptance and future use of e-learning. Statistical analysis was used. Findings The findings from the study suggest that, despite the often espoused stereotype, age is not a significant factor impacting either future use intentions or satisfaction with e-learning. In contrast, three variables were found to be useful predictors of intention for future use of organisational e-learning; low complexity, authenticity and technical support. Research limitations/implications The study did not consider other moderating effects related to demographic data other than age, such as educational experience. Further, the case presented is a single organisation and therefore is not necessarily representative of other industries. Future studies should adopt a mixed methods approach. Practical implications This study has emphasised that attention needs to be focussed on factors over which organisations have control when adopting and using e-learning. Employee age should not be seen as an obstacle to e-learning implementation, rather attention needs to turn to effective and user-friendly e-learning interventions along with sufficient technology support. Originality/value Perceptions within industry and indeed in some literature, suggest that employee age stereotypes still exist in relation to technology uptake. This research has demonstrated that this stereotype is an erroneous assumption and emphasised the importance of other factors.

Contemporary Challenges in E-learning

Technology is impacting on most elements of organisations today and workforce development professionals have been some of the leading proponents of embracing technologies and the benefits they offer. E-learning has emerged as at least a complementary offering to face-to-face training, and in some cases has totally replaced more traditional forms of workforce development. This chapter explores the use of learning technologies and the benefits and drawbacks of their use. In particular it focuses on further exploring the issue of a perceived lack of interaction in some e-learning offerings; a factor identified as critical to address in order to ensure effective e-learning. The chapter discusses the issues of interaction and social presence to address feelings of isolation and offers some key considerations for those considering integrating technology into workforce development.

CI in the work place: does involving the HRM function make any difference?

People are central to successful Continuous Improvement (CI), and in larger organisations a Human Resource Management (HRM) function is responsible for people related issues. Central to CI is learning and a culture that supports CI. Learning needs to be both individual and organisational, and must benefit the organisations performance. The HRM function is often given the task of championing cultural change and managing aspects of training and learning, and it would appear that involvement of HRM professionals would enhance CI efforts and assist in the timely solution of issues within the CI process. This paper aims to determine the influence of involving HRM professionals in CI, and if their involvement has any impact on support and tools used in CI and the contribution of CI to business performance.

Management development experiences and expectations: informal vs formal learning

Purpose Many organisations are reconsidering their investment in formal education and training, in favour of more informal approaches to learning such as mentoring, temporary assignments, stretch assignments, and job rotation. The purpose of this paper is to explore the ways in which managers have developed capabilities for their roles thus far and their preferred approaches for future development with particular consideration given to a comparison of formal and informal learning. Design/methodology/approach This paper reports on a case study conducted within an Australian nonprofit organisation focussing on the extent to which managers attribute their current level of management skills to formal or informal learning and the extent to which they would prefer formal or informal learning (or a combination) for future development. Findings Findings indicate a large part of the managers’ current management capabilities were acquired through informal means, and these are seen as desirable for ongoing development, however, there is also a desire for formal learning methods to complement informal methods. Originality/value Management development is a critical HRD activity however there is limited knowledge about how managers have built their current capabilities and their preferences in terms of the mix of formal and informal learning for the future.

Knowledge Identification and Acquisition in SMEs: Strategically Emergent or Just Ad Hoc?

Researchers and practitioners have been preoccupied with identifying ways for larger organizations to acquire and manage knowledge, however far less research attention has been directed towards these same pursuits in small and medium-sized enterprises SMEs. This paper examines how SMEs engage in knowledge identification and acquisition; in particular how they identify knowledge needs and source this knowledge to enhance their business. The research studied six SMEs in Australia and Denmark. Contrary to prevailing assumptions, the findings suggest that SMEs engage in identification and sourcing of critical knowledge, albeit often with less than formal processes. These organizations relied on business plans to direct knowledge activities and ensure balance between long-range planning and flexibility. The results address a lack of empirical evidence about SME approaches to knowledge identification and acquisition, and demonstrate that although SMEs may approach such activities in an informal way, they are nonetheless deliberate and strategic in their knowledge activities.