Oldtown Coffee

Oldtown Coffee

ARTICLES

The Construct of the Learning Organization: Dimensions, Measurement, and Validation
Baiyin Yang, Karen E. Watkins, Victoria J. Marsick
This research describes efforts to develop and validate a multidimensional measure of the learning organization. An instrument was developed based on a critical review of both the conceptualization and practice of this construct. Supporting validity evidence for the instrument was obtained from several sources, including best model-data fit among alternative measurement models, nomological network among dimensions of the learning organization, and organizational performance outcomes. Acceptable reliability estimates were obtained for the seven proposed dimensions. Consequently, the instrument, Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire, was recommended for use in organizational studies.

The concept of the learning organization has received increasing attention in the field of organizational studies, yet little is known about how to measure it. Despite growing attention to the learning organization, the lack of a theoretically derived measure of the construct has deterred substantive research in this area. Tsang (1997) observes that most writings in this area tend to be prescriptive and lack systematic and solid empirical research. Learning organization theorists argue that there has been considerable conceptual confusion about the nature of learning at the organizational level (Argyris & Schön, 1978, 1996; Brown & Duguid, 1991; Fiol & Lyles, 1985; Gephart, Marsick, Van Buren, & Spiro, 1996; Hedberg, 1981; Huber, 1991; Isaacs & Senge, 1992; March & Olsen, 1976; Meyer, 1982; Miner & Mezias, 1996; Tsang, 1997). From a theoretical perspective and for research purposes, researchers need to know the dimensionality of this concept and its relationships with other organizational variables. The purpose of this study is to contribute to this growing literature by developing and validating a measure of the...