How multi-levels of individual and team learning interact in a public healthcare organisation: a conceptual framework

ABSTRACT

The aim of this paper is to review the relevant literature on organisational learning and offer a preliminary conceptual framework as a basis to explore how the multi-levels of individual learning and team learning interact in a public healthcare organisation. The organisational learning literature highlights a need for further understanding of how the multi-levels of organisational learning interact and a broadly accepted theory of organisational learning has not yet emerged. Organisational learning is a multi-level concept and while there has been some multi-level research, more is required to understand the mechanisms that facilitate the flow of learning between the levels. This paper explores multi-level learning, using action learning as a basis through which we consider how individual learning and team learning interact. The preliminary conceptual framework seeks to contribute to our understanding of the interaction between the individual and team levels of learning and the processes and conditions that facilitate or hinder the flow of learning. As this framework provides a means of exploring individual learning in a team setting it has the potential to develop understanding as to how to enhance the effectiveness of learning interactions in the healthcare sector and other sectors. In turn this exploration could lead to enhanced understanding of the mechanisms involved in the flow of learning.

KEYWORDS:

• Organisational learning
• action learning
• individual and team learning
• healthcare

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Louise Doyle is a DBA Candidate at Waterford Institute of Technology and is a Business Manager with the HSE – National Doctors Training and Planning Unit. Her background is in HR/Learning & Organisational Development gained across a variety of sectors including: healthcare, professional services and telecoms. She is an Adjunct Lecturer of the UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems.

Felicity Kelliher is a Senior Lecturer in Management and co-founder of the RIKON research group at Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland and an overseas Professor at Shanghai University, China. A Fulbright scholar (2014–2015), her research focuses on managerial learning and small firm network capability development and she has published widely in this area.

Denis Harrington is Head of Graduate Business at Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland. He has responsibility for leading and directing all taught graduate business programs within the School and for executive development. He is a Council member of the Irish Academy of Management and the MBA Association of Ireland.

Notes

1. Group is the term used for team by these authors.