Making Sense of Organizational Learning

Dr Cyril Kirwan is a highly experienced management and organization development consultant. Before setting up Cyril Kirwan & Associates he worked for many years in the airline and financial services sectors. He now designs and delivers interventions in areas such as learning and development, leadership, change management and executive coaching for clients in a variety of industries in both private and public sectors. He holds a M.Sc. in Work and Organizational Psychology from Dublin City University and a Doctorate in Business Administration from Henley Business School. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants and Advisers (FIMCA), a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD) and a member of the American Psychological Association. He is also an associate faculty member at a number of business schools in Ireland and the UK.

The ability of a business to learn is becoming increasingly important for success. In Making Sense of Organizational Learning, Cyril Kirwan examines the wide range of factors necessary to create and sustain organizational learning and knowledge at all levels. The book shows how to best exploit the knowledge that already exists within the organization while at the same time develop the capability of the people that work there, highlighting in particular the role of the HR function and of line managers. Each chapter provides theoretical background and real-world examples. Diagnostic questionnaires, checklists and other tools are also included. Making Sense of Organizational Learning provides an evidence-based argument for the adoption of effective organizational learning policies and practices, and offers a real opportunity to improve performance. Thinking practitioners as well as those undertaking post-graduate study in HR and related disciplines will find it invaluable.

Introduction; Chapter 1 Foundations of Organizational Learning; Chapter 2 Learning as an Individual Process; Chapter 3 Learning as a Social Process; Chapter 4 Learning in Organizations; Chapter 5 The Learning Organization; Chapter 6 The Role of Human Resource Management; Chapter 7 The Role of the Line Manager; Chapter 8 Evaluating Organizational Learning;