Improving organizational learning through leadership training

Hasson, H., von Thiele Schwartz, U., Holmstrom, S., Karanika-Murray, M. ORCID: 0000-0002-4141-3747 and Tafvelin, S., 2016. Improving organizational learning through leadership training. Journal of Workplace Learning, 28 (3), pp. 115-129. ISSN 1366-5626

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Abstract

Purpose: Managers play a crucial role in providing opportunities to employees for learning. Although scholars have called for intervention research on the effects of leadership development on organizational learning, no such research is currently available. This paper evaluates whether training of managers at workplaces can improve organizational learning.
Methodology: The training program consisted of theoretical and practical elements aimed to improve line managers’ transformational leadership behaviors and, in turn, improve organizational learning. The study used a pre- and post-intervention evaluation survey. Line managers’ and their subordinates' perceptions of organizational learning were measured with the Dimensions of Organizational Learning Questionnaire and with post-intervention single items on organizational learning.
Findings: Comparisons between pre-and post-intervention assessments revealed that managers’ ratings of Continuous Learning and employees' ratings of Empowerment and Embedded Systems improved significantly as a result of the training. The leadership training intervention had positive effects on managers' perceptions of individual-level and on employees' perceptions of organizational-level aspects of organizational learning.
Originality/value: The study provides empirical evidence that organizational learning can be improved through leadership training. Both line managers and their subordinates perceived that organizational learning had increased after the training intervention, albeit in different ways. Implications for developing leadership training programs and for evaluating these are discussed.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Journal of Workplace Learning
Creators:	Hasson, H., von Thiele Schwartz, U., Holmstrom, S., Karanika-Murray, M. and Tafvelin, S.
Publisher:	Emerald
Date:	1 September 2016
Volume:	28
Number:	3
ISSN:	1366-5626
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1108/JWL-06-2015-0049 DOI
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Jill Tomkinson
Date Added:	05 Feb 2016 15:19
Last Modified:	18 Oct 2017 14:11
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/26891

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