Learning Organisation Characteristics and Organisational Readiness for Change

By

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all, it would give me great pleasure to show my gratitude to my professor, for his propositions, remarks, understanding and patience. It would also be an honour to express gratitude to my parents, my mother, my father, my sister and my brother for their endless support in my life and allowing me to make all my decisions. I would also like to take the opportunity to show appreciation to my co-workers for their expert cooperation on every occasion. I would also like to be grateful to the Department, managers of the university, instructors and students who have supported me throughout this research.

I certify that the work presented in the dissertation is my own unless referenced

Signature..........................................

Date.....................................

DECLARATION

I declare that the content presented in this thesis/dissertation is, in my understanding and opinion, original and has not been presented for scholarly assessment in the past, either completely or partly, for an academic degree at this educational institution or elsewhere. I would also like to admit that I have studied and understood the principles, prerequisites, processes and guidelines of the University regarding the higher academic degree research award and to my dissertation. I would also like to declare that I have abided by the University's principles, prerequisites, processes and guidelines.

Signed __________________ Date _________________



ABSTRACT

Change, as the only fixed element of time, is among the characteristics of today's quickly transforming world. As the need to change gets more and more apparent in societies, people and organisations discover that any kind of movement beyond the previous or present status involves learning. For organisations to increase their organisational capabilities, they should learn to act successfully in environment full of permanent integrations, quick developments of technology, wide social changes and cumulative competition. To become compatible with new changes, there should come into view an organisation consistent with new conditions, i.e. the one that provides the ground for organisational growth and development. The most successful of these organisations since 1990s has been 'learning organisations'. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between learning organisation characteristics and organisational readiness for change.

Keywords: learning, learning organisation, organisational learning, change readiness, organisational readiness for change.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

ABSTRACTIV

LIST OF FIGURESVIII

LIST OF TABLESIX

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

1.1Background of the Study1

1.2Relevance of this thesis to the country of Kuwait3

1.3Problem Statement4

1.4Research Question4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW5

2.1Learning Organisation5

2.2Organisational Learning5

2.3Characteristics of Learning Organisations6

2.6.1Peter Senge7

2.6.2David Garvin8

2.6.3Swee C. Goh10

2.6.4Morey and Frangioso11

2.6.5Sudharatna and Li13

2.6.6Kontoghiorghes, Awbrey, and Feurig14

2.6.7Chinowsky, Molenaar, and Realph15

2.6.8Jamali and Sidani16

2.4Difference between Organisational Learning and Learning Organisation19

2.5Commonalities in the Theories of Learning Organisation Characteristics38

2.7.1Leadership38

2.7.2Culture39

2.7.3Training and development40

2.7.4Continual learning40

2.7.5Experimentation41

2.7.6Reward for learning41

2.7.7Communication41

2.6Learning in the Context of Change42

2.7Readiness to Change45

2.8Change Readiness Factors45

2.9Different Concepts regarding Readiness to Change46

2.7.8Armenakis, Harris and mosshodder46

2.7.9Lehman, Greener and Simpson48

2.7.10Susanto (2008)49

2.7.11Sudharatna and Li (2004)50

2.10Common Themes in Theories on Organisational Readiness for Change52

2.12.1Leadership52

2.12.2Assessment of the Business Environment53

2.12.3Acceptance of Change53

2.12.4Motivational Readiness53

2.12.5Communication54

2.12.6Culture54

2.11Framework of the Study55

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY56

3.1Problem Statement56

3.2Research Objectives57

3.3Methodological Framework58

3.3.1Major Research Question59

3.3.2Minor Research Questions59

3.3.3Propositions60

3.3.4Limitations62

3.4Research Design63

3.4.1Target Population and Sample Method63

3.4.2Data Collection Instrument and Source69

3.5Data Analysis Methods70

3.5.1Quantitative Analysis71

3.5.2Qualitative Analysis71

CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION73

4.1An Overview of Company ...