APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2016/2017

GRA 2426 Organisational Learning and Knowledge Creation

Responsible for the course
Cathrine Filstad

Department
Department of Leadership and Organizational Behaviour

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
6

Language of instruction
English

Introduction
THIS COURSE WILL NOT BE RUN AFTER AUTUMN 2016.

Organisational learning, managing knowledge sharing, knowledge development and knowledge management are considered vital to organisations for continuing improvements and implementation of new visions, strategies and knowledge domains through change and innovation processes. It is also of crucial importance for competitive advantage and attaching the best employees within a knowledge society. Hence, many scholars and practitioners have joined in the debate around the many faceted relationship between learning, knowledge, knowing, development and change processes. As a consequence, the concepts of organisational learning and knowledge management have developed into a number of approaches and perspectives, all to increase our understanding of how to apply concepts and theories for implementation in organisational practices.

Learning outcome
The aim of this course and the learning goals will be
1.To give students and understanding of, and raise questions on, the nature of organisational learning, knowledge management and knowledge sharing, recognizing its complexity and crucial value in all organisations
2.Provide students with necessary knowledge on how organisational learning and knowledge capabilities concepts can be understood and facilitated in organizations, with a special focus on organisational and leadership facilitation
3.Understand the importance of knowledge, knowing and knowledge sharing and be able to participate in the knowledge debate in our society
4.Recognizing the challenges in the transformation from educational and theoretical knowledge to applied knowledge and knowing in professional life, and with this knowledge understand the role of education in a society
5.Be able to analyse complex phenomenon and work independently
6.Be critical and nuanced and be able to balance own interpretation of relevant methods, both qualitative and quantitative
6.Take responsibility of own learning processes and own knowledge development, both as students and in professional life

Prerequisites

All courses in the Masters programme will assume that students have fulfilled the admission requirements for the programme. In addition, courses in second, third and/or fourth semester can have spesific prerequisites and will assume that students have followed normal study progression. For double degree and exchange students, please note that equivalent courses are accepted.

Compulsory reading
Books:
Filstad, Cathrine and Gunnhild Blåka. 2007. Learning in organizations. Cappelen

Articles:
A collection of scientific articles

Other:
During the course there may be hand-outs and other material on additional topics relevant for the course and the examination.


Recommended reading
Books:
Lave, Jean and Etienne Wenger. 1991. Situated learning : legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge University Press
Rainbird, Helen, Alison Fuller and Anne Munro, eds. 2004. Workplace learning in context. Routledge
Wenger, Etienne. 1998. Communities of practice : learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press

Course outline
The concepts of Organisational Learning and Knowledge Management
Disciplinary Perspectives on Learning, Knowledge sharing, managing Knowledge, Knowing and Competences at work
OL and Knowing as Participation, Practice and Processes in Organisations
The Learning Organisation – Leading through KM
An Organisational Learning and Knowledge Capabilities Framework
Knowledge Intensive Firms – Knowledge sharing and Trust
Knowledge Work and Knowledge Sharing – Tacit and Explicit knowledge
Communities of Practice and Network of Practices – exploring the challenges of Learning and Change
Social identity, Emotions, Trust and Working Environment
Newcomers Learning Processes – Organisational Socialization
Change Management and Innovation – Strategic Leadership
Leadership and Middle Management
Power and Politics – Sensemaking and Sensegiving
Teams and Projects as facilitators for Learning and Knowing (Knowledge Sharing)
Managing Knowledge for Change and Innovation
Organisational Culture – Cultural Leadership – creating a strong Learning Culture

Computer-based tools
Not applicable

Learning process and workload
The course is structured as a combination of lectures, discussions, in-class activities, and compulsory student presentations. It requires a substantial amount of preparation by the students and active involvement during class.

A course of 6 ECTS credits corresponds to a workload of 160-180 hours.

Please note that it is the student’s own responsibility to obtain any information provided in class that is not included on the course homepage/It's learning or text book.


Examination
The course grade will be based on the following activities and weights:
20% - Class contribution/participation (graded individually)
30% - Student presentations (2-4 students) of cases or course literature
50% - Term paper written by up to 3 students