Impact Of Cognitive-Teaming Approach On Development Of Knowledge In "Learning Organization"

Abstract

The problem of using and developing knowledge in a «learning organization» has become important over the current period of global competition, when the stable and sustainable development of the enterprise depends not only on the production and financial resources but also on human resources. Therefore, the issue of the impact of the cognitive-teaming approach on the development of knowledge in a «learning organization» is worth discussing. In today's reality, businesses are faced with three key tasks: to maintain business acumen; to maximize the use of the important information which is becoming more complex, specific, dynamic for the benefit of the company; to coordinate multifaceted tasks to achieve a synergistic effect. These areas are necessary and relevant to any learning organization, as they form the necessity of the formation of a core team, that is, the basis of the development of a learning organization. Key teams play a fundamental role in the implementation of an integrated approach to management at all levels, the central part of which is dispersed leadership. In the cognitive-teaming approach, leadership that permeates all levels of management of a learning organization ceases to be a competency of top managers. It is formed at all levels of management and different levels of managers of a learning organization.

Keywords:

Introduction

Nowadays, while operating, companies are faced with the necessity of coping with such challenges as instability, stress, unpredictability. It also creates a competitive environment among organizations. Managing a company under such conditions is characterized by a high level of strategic risk. In the process of adapting to these changes, organizations tend to experiment with many new integration forms and strategies. Companies are interested in the development and application of knowledge because they are aware of theoretical and methodological shortage of this resource in strategic management.

Problem Statement

In 1990, Senge drew attention to the conceptual transition from "a resource-based organization" to "an organization based on knowledge" "(Senge, 1992, p. 5). In his opinion, in an organization, based on resources, employees must know their work. But they do not have to know how their work relates to the work of others. On the other hand, knowledge-based or information-based organizations require systemic thinking, which helps to avoid any inflation of power that leads to chaos – that leads to the creation of a learning organization (Hodgkinson, 2002, p. 62). A learning organization is based on a constant increase of knowledge by human resources. In his approach, P. Senge defines two vectors of a learning company/organization development – organizational learning (adaptive and productive/generative) and leadership. There are different approaches to defining the term "a learning organization" (Senge, 1992, p. 32).

Following the analysis of scientific approaches of different scientists to the definition of what a "learning organization" is (table 1 ), it should be noted that most approaches share the idea that "a learning organization" involves learning and obtaining new knowledge by the company employees.

"G. Salaman drew parallels between the concepts of "a learning organization" and "a company that creates knowledge", (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995) and "intelligent enterprise" (Q. Quinn). Salaman stated that all the authors emphasize the importance of "alertness of top managers who are able to predict and understand the principles of development of the external environment and then quickly and effectively restructure the organization in accordance with the new strategy" (Hodgkinson, 2002, p. 63)

The author shares the scientific approach by P. Senge to define «a learning organization». He emphasized that the main idea of a learning organization is vision. It is the vision of the company that defines its values, the target contour and its strategy of development. Values determine the relevant core competencies that generate competitive advantages influencing the level of competitiveness of the company on the market. A learning organization performance depends on the level of competencies of various level managers (Senge, 1990, p. 28).

The concept of a «learning organization» is introduced in such companies as Coca-cola, FistNationalBancorp, Chevron, MeadIndustries, ShellOil, Tenneco (Senge, 1990, p. 22). The main reproductive resource of this concept is organizational learning. To learn is to improve, actively learn the subject and follow a particular direction within the specific discipline. Organizational learning is a process which is difficult to control, but it provides long-term assimilation of new knowledge and the ability to take effective actions.

Enterprises based on knowledge are better than others at gathering information and spreading their ideas. Because they make fewer efforts to establish communication, they are more successful in individual training of the employees and knowledge management. They convert social capital into intellectual capital faster, with organizational learning playing a central role in this process (according to the extent to which people in organizations seek to acquire knowledge and perceive it as necessary for them).

According to the author, knowledge should be formed at the level of each individual and each level of management. Knowledge is the treasure of the organization, but short-lived, so companies need to continually create, build and spread new knowledge for the continuous development of the staff competencies.

According to Nonaka (Nonaka, 1994, p. 16), any organization that wants to compete on the basis of knowledge should be able to produce knowledge, namely to use innovative technologies to form and develop staff competencies.

Staff competencies represent a unique system of interrelated knowledge, skills and abilities aimed at implementing strategic and tactical goals and objectives of the company. They are intangible assets that determine the competitiveness of the enterprise and its strategic effectiveness (Hodgkinson, 2002, p. 31).

Knowledge is a fundamental element for the development of human nature; skills are formed in the process of interaction of knowledge and experience of the individual; the combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes of an individual leads to the development of abilities. This symbiosis is reflected in the formation of the unique competencies of an individual in the organization, their strategic importance, which guarantees the company's competitive advantages.

The main strategic advantage arising from the formation of the competitive advantage of an organization is based on the knowledge of an individual. It develops, its quality improves, and its efficiency can increase significantly. So, this is the most durable and long lasting asset of the organization.

Research Questions

The modern concept of knowledge development is widely used in Western organizations (especially in England and France). Armstrong M., Bessar O, Boterf J., Boyatzis R., Zarifian P., Lawrence P., Hunt J. and others made a significant contribution to its development. In the 90s of the XX century, the problem of knowledge development was discussed in various branches of scientific knowledge, particularly in Pedagogy (Isaeva T. E.), Psychology, Economics, Law" (Hodgkinson, 2002, p. 68).

This problem is being quite widely discussed and many scientists are getting interested in it. However, it should be noted that the existing theory and methodology of managing individual knowledge does not reflect specific features of the development of individual knowledge in learning organizations as a complex matter/object of management and a strategic resource ensuring the effective functioning of the entire system. Nor are there any applications or guidelines on how to develop individual knowledge at all management levels in learning organizations. There is no synthesis in the strategy of individual knowledge development and methodology of the scientific approach which is the fundamental basis of understanding the competitive functioning of learning organizations.

Purpose of the Study

In the last 20 years, top-managers have got interested in the development of a new approach to defining a competitive organization – the cognitive management (Hodgkinson, 2002, p. 29). The basis of this method is the theory and concepts from a variety of interrelated areas such as cognitive psychology, social cognition, and organizational sociology.

Managers often have no information, knowledge or developed competencies to handle a large volume of information. Therefore, this approach involves studying the causes which direct the actions of managers and is associated with the constant process of increasing managers` knowledge and information flows analysis, processes taking place in a dynamic external environment and affecting the functioning of the company.

Research Methods

The issues of improving individual knowledge (knowledge held by an individual) must be considered in the context of the cognitive-teaming approach (figure 1 ).

The external environment

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To justify the need to use the cognitive-teaming approach, it is necessary to consider principles and approaches to studying the formation and development of knowledge held by an individual (individual knowledge), as well as to compare the basic concepts of individual knowledge development as a strategic resource in a learning organization.

Different concepts and approaches, such as the resource approach, personality-oriented education, problem-solving and practical learning, the use of interactive forms and teaching technologies, the theory of self-development and self-regulation, lay the basis for the implementation of the cognitive-teaming approach. As the analysis of scientific and scientific-practical works on the problem under study shows, experimental testing of the competency-oriented forms and technologies in education and training is largely based on the achievements in these areas. Taken together, all this provides the basis for the formation of theoretical-methodological and didactic foundations of the cognitive-teaming approach as a phenomenon in management.

In today's reality, businesses are faced with three key tasks: to maintain business acumen; to maximize the use of the important information which is becoming more complex, specific, dynamic for the benefit of the company; to coordinate multifaceted tasks to achieve a synergistic effect. These areas are necessary and relevant to any learning organization, as they form the necessity of the formation of a core team that is the basis of the development of a learning organization.

Key teams play a fundamental role in the implementation of an integrated approach to management at all levels, the central part of which is dispersed leadership. To retain a leading position in the new competitive environment, the organization should be at the forefront of research in many areas simultaneously. All level competency teams must be responsible for studying the current level of technology development, market analysis, socio-cultural and competitive situation analysis, for identifying possible sources of knowledge and authority for the company`s needs. They take on the function of interpretation of the external environment of the firm.

In the cognitive-teaming approach leadership that permeates all levels of management of a learning organization ceases to be a competency of top managers. It is formed at all levels of management and different levels of managers of a learning organization.

The cognitive-teaming approach leads to the formation of an organization, where managers at all levels of management create conditions encouraging personal initiative and business acumen among ordinary employees, but at the same time retain coordination and control.

Any team must have a link with the external environment and with senior management. The team justifies the ways of working and the top management follows the path proposed by the team, so that the system of "dispersed leadership" is formed.

Dispersed leadership is an essential feature of a learning organization. It is teams of employees that make the existence of this form of leadership possible. They have been assigned the task of extension and elaboration of the strategy and prospects of the company, as they are the «eyes» of the organization. They develop products, introduce new processes and disseminate working methods, which become the actual result of the activities of the whole company. Teams convert ideas into specific projects, outline the framework for new strategies, long-term vision of a learning organization.

Findings

To survive in the increasingly innovation-oriented competitive environment, companies should possess the newest information in many fields of knowledge. Scientific and technical knowledge is critical for success in the innovation-oriented business environment, and is becoming, on the one hand, more complex and progressive, and, on the other hand, more dispersed than ever before. The dependence of the business on the advanced and rapidly increasing scientific and technological knowledge leads to the fact that the core business of the organization that is the source of value for it becomes more specific. Knowledge becomes not only specific, but also, as the result, more dispersed – not only outside, but also inside a learning organization. Knowledge becomes more complex and progressive, and gradually its volume begins to exceed the storage capacity of a learning organization or an individual and that causes changes in the structure of the whole industry.

Conclusion

In the process of their development, learning organizations are faced with the lack of knowledge necessary to perform tasks. This factor justifies the need to increase knowledge in an integrated and constant manner. The transition to the cognitive-teaming approach requires a change in thinking, behavior, ways of decision-making, which is a requirement of a market economy and a step towards the changes in the management system of a learning organization.

Acknowledgments

The author would like to express her gratitude to Neretina E. A., for his enormous contribution to the development of science.

References

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