Learning Organisations, Investors in People and New Labour's Learning Society

In this article I intend to explore two models of what constitutes a Learning Organisation. One model is a broader and developmental one which comprises: anticipating future problems; paying attention to the external environment; continuously seeking improvement; approaching problem solving through conceptual analysis and on an organisation-wide basis; rewarding initiative and creativity; defining jobs to encourage risk-taking, exploration, initiative and knowledge sharing. The second model is the much more functional and mechanistic one proposed under the Investors in People (IiP) with its emphasis on 'commitment, planning, action, evaluation'