The focus in this lecture is to explore individual, organizational, and strategic learning. In the lecture we begin to see learning in a new and broader way. Actually, we see learning as a key organizational recourse and a key competitive advantage, using business terminology. We also define more closely what is meant by strategic learning.

Then in the lecture professor Alava explains the roots and tools of strategic planning, which are familiar to most of us, who have been in leading positions in any organization. Then, he also warns us of the various pitfalls and dangers in the traditional strategic planning process. (In lecture two, we add strategic thinking to strategic planning).

In the lecture we also see an important summation of organizational dynamics, where we follow the thinking of an imaginary management team of a school when they first make observations about the environment, and then gradually formulate the new strategies of the school. Finally, professor Alava emphasizes the importance of all the four quadrants in the Strategic Learning Cycle.

Before any lecture either open or save to your computer the assigned PowerPoint presentations.

Assignment before the lecture: None.

Open or save PowerPoint slides related to this lecture HERE.

Listen to the lecture, and afterwards do the assignment given below.

Write your learning experiences into your personal Reflective report

Assignment after the lecture: Read the following article (a part of professor Alava’s dissertation).

Alava, J. 1999. How organizations learn. In Alava, J. 1999. Organizational Change in The Union of Professional Engineers in Finland and in The Union of Professional Social Workers in Finland. Dissertation, The University of Kentucky.
You may use the two frameworks presented in the article (organizational learning and strategic choise) in order to assess your own organization.

No special written assignment on this!