Learning in Action: A Guide to Putting the Learning Organization to Work

by David A. Garvin

Book Overview

Most managers today understand the value of building a learning organization. Their goal is to leverage knowledge and make it a key corporate asset, yet they remain uncertain about how best to get started. What they lack are guidelines and tools that transform abstract theory--the learning organization as an ideal--into hands-on implementation. For the first time in Learning in Action , David Garvin helps managers make the leap from theory to proven...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1591391903
• ISBN13: 9781591391906
• Release Date: March 2003
• Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Learning in action

this was a great transaction. The item was shipped immediately and I would deff buy from this person again!

Excellent Textbook

This is the best book that I have had in my college career so far. The writing is concise yet simple in its approach to the complex schools of thought of knowledge management, organizational management and making the workplace one that fosters learning and sharing information on every level. I recommend this writing to all college scholars that need to lend themselves to a team oriented concept in their future endeavors.

A book for everyone!

This book is a great tool if you would like to relearn how to learn. It should be on every manager's bookshelf. Actually, everyone who wishes to be a more effective team player and or leader should have this book on his or her shelf. This book is great for educators, managers, or any employee that works in a team-based environment. There are tests given in the book to decide if your organization is in fact a learning organization. The focus on the book is to provide necessary tools to develop a successful learning organization. The learning process is presented very clearly. Garvin says that there are three basic steps of the learning process. They are acquiring, interpreting and applying knowledge. He builds on each of the phases in the book. Garvin presents three types of learning - intelligence, experience and experimentation. He includes several case studies from a wide range of fields that clarify the presented learning process. Xerox, U.S. Army, Allegheny Ludlum Steel, and the Timkin Company are some of the companies that he presents in-depth case studies about. These real-life examples make up about one-third of the book (71 pages) and make the reading of this book fly by! This book is laid out in a very clear and easy-to-follow fashion. It serves like a manual and I recommend this book to all who wish to be successful. Give it as a Christmas/Holiday Season gift! Thank you!

I learned something about learning!!

In Learning in Action, David Garvin lays out the concept of learning in a straightforward and easy-to-read manner. He defines the process of learning and the types of learning, and then ties it together in coverage of the challenges organizations have in establishing a paradigm or continuous learning (which includes action). While non-fiction is by its very nature often not the most exciting material in print, this book is able to keep the reader's attention through the use of real-life examples and a steady progression from the basics to the more complex. I read this in one sitting on a coast-to-coast flight and was never even close to falling asleep!! If you are interested in a practical approach to the subject of Learning, this book is worth a look.

Learning in Action

Learning is an innate nature and can be obtained by doing. But most HR people faced a hard situation in the fast changing world. "Learning in Action" tell us a brand new direction for people who doesn't have extra time to learn new things. When individuals can learn in action, the model also can be implied and amplified in teams and organizations.