What causes organizations to learn?

Assuming that in order to foster Organizational Learning (OL), one has to supply organizations with occasions for learning, this paper undertakes a theoretical analysis of OL-causes. Assumptions contained in OL-concepts are classified and interpreted within the light of learning theory and cognition theory. Drawing upon constructivist theories of cognition, the paper shows that all assumptions can be formulated as differences which make differences'. In addition, a constructivist interpretation discloses that differences result from drawing distinctions'. Based upon these insights, strategies to improve OL are suggested and related to findings of current management research

Participation in fast fashion brands’ clothes recycling plans in an omnichannel retail environment

The rise of the fast fashion industry allows more and more people to participate in fashion consumption, but goes along with negative consequences on the environment. To reduce wastage, fast fashion retailers have begun to offer used clothes recycling plans to which customers can submit clothes they no longer wear. Since these recycling plans have mainly been operated in offline stores so far, the rise of omnichannel retailing poses new challenges on retailers with regard to organizing the plan and motivating consumers to participate. On a sample of N=370 Chinese fast fashion consumers, this paper investigates, which factors determine consumers’ willingness to participate in fast fashion brands’ used clothes recycling plans in an omnichannel retailing environment. It finds that consumers’ clothes recycling intention is determined by individual predispositions (environmental attitude, impulsive consumption), as well as by organizational arrangements (channel integration quality), as well as by the outcomes of their interaction (consumer satisfaction, brand identification). Conclusions are drawn, implications for omnichannel fast fashion retailing practice, as well as for further research, derived, and limitations discussed

When the candidate of choice turns you down : an empirical study of the reasons for job offer rejection

Our research aims to empirically investigate the reasons for the rejection of job offers and based on the finding to develop recommendations for organizations on how to reduce the risk that job offers are turned down

'Organisationale Bildung' oder 'Das Lernen des Lernens'

Im Anschluss an eine inhaltliche Präzisierung der Begriffe Wissen, Lernen und Bildung in einem kognitionstheoretischen Bezugsrahmen wird deren Übertragung auf die Ebene der Organisation nachvollzogen. Zu organisationalem Wissen und organisationalem Lernen liegen in der Managementlehre elaborierte Konzepte vor, deren Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede beleuchtet werden. Die Idee der organisationalen Bildung ist neu und impliziert, dass das organisationale Lernen selbst gelernt werden muss. Entsprechend der Bedeutung des Ausgangsbegriffes bezieht sich organisationale Bildung sowohl auf den Prozess - das organisationale Lernen des organisationalen Lernens - als auch auf dessen Ergebnis - die organisationale Lernfähigkeit. Der Beitrag untersucht, welche Aussagen bezüglich dieser Aspekte in prominenten Ansätzen zum organisationalen Lernen enthalten sind. Vorschläge zur Förderung organisationaler Bildung, die auf eigenen empirischen Untersuchungen zum Wesen organisationaler Lernprozesse beruhen und Betrachtungen zur Bedeutung und zum Nutzen organisationaler Bildung schliessen den Beitrag ab

Organizational Learning. Integrating theory, empirical research, and design

Die Beschäftigung mit organisationalem Lernen ist in ihrem gegenwärtigen Zustand ausgesprochen heterogen; Theorie und Gestaltungspraxis bzw. Empirie und Gestaltungspraxis stehen auch weitgehend unverbunden nebeneinander. Dieser Beitrag hat deshalb zwei Stoßrichtungen: Inhaltlich wird eine konzeptionelle Integration der Debatte angestrebt, formal die Vernetzung theoretischer, empirischer und gestaltungspraktischer Aspekte organisationalen Lernens.Ausgangspunkt ist die Beobachtung, daß die (theoretische wie gestaltungsorientierte) Beschäftigung mit organisationalem Lernen einem gemeinsamen, wenn auch impliziten, Paradigma folgt. Seine Konturen ergeben sich aus einem kognitiven Lernbegriff einerseits und der Vorstellung von Organisationen als eigenständigen Handlungs- und Kognitionssystemen andererseits. In der Kombination beider wird organisationales Lernen zu einem Phänomen sozialer Wirklichkeitskonstruktion: Es beschreibt den Vorgang kollektiver Informationsverarbeitung, durch den gemeinsame Realitätsentwürfe, gespeichert im organisationalen Wissen, weiterentwickelt werden.Diese paradigmatische Gemeinsamkeit legitimiert eine Verknüpfung der einzelnen Konzeptionen. Dies wird noch dadurch begünstigt, daß sich die Ansätze in vielen Punkten ergänzen, indem sie unterschiedliche Facetten organisationalen Lernens beleuchten. Im ersten Teil unserer Ausführungen wird deshalb ein Integrationsansatz zur Beschreibung organisationalen Lernens entwickelt. Dabei liefert ein allgemeines Lernmodell den Orientierungsrahmen, der anschließend um die spezifischen Aspekte organisationalen Lernens ergänzt wird. Dieser Ansatz soll im zweiten Teil empirisch ausgeleuchtet werden. Wir arbeiten dazu mit den Ergebnissen eines Forschungsprojektes zum organisationalen Lernen in den Kommunalverwaltungen zweier deutscher Städte. Im dritten Teil des Beitrags werden aus der Gesamtschau von Theorie (Integrationsansatz) und Empirie (Fallstudien) Perspektiven für die Gestaltung organisationaler Le

Unraveling the double-edged sword : effects of cultural diversity on creativity and innovativeness

Cultural diversity is considered a “double-edged sword” (Kravitz, 2005) as research on its effects on teams’ performance regularly delivers inconsistent and contradictory results. This paper makes an attempt to unravel the double-edged sword by discerning different forms of cultural diversity: separation and variety (Harrison & Klein, 2007). Based on a review of the literature, a conceptual model is developed hypothesizing that cultural variety yields positive, while cultural separation yields negative effects on team creativity and innovativeness. In addition the effects of national diversity are contrasted to proof whether national diversity can serve as a proxy for cultural diversity as is often practiced. The model is tested on a sample of 113 student teams of Entrepreneurship modules at 4 European universities. Cultural diversity is measured directly on the basis of individual team members’ cultural value orientations by means of the CPQ4 (Maznevski, DiStefano, Gomez, Noorderhaven & Wu, 2002). Data is analyzed using the PLS structural equation modeling technique. The results confirm the hypothesized impacts of cultural variety and separation on creativity but do not deliver evidence for impacts on innovativeness. Same is true for national diversity. Interestingly, national diversity does not show any relation to neither form of cultural diversity

Beyond the surface: exploring the relationship between value diversity and team creativity

Whether diversity enhances or impedes team creativity remains an issue of scholarly debate. Explanations of this ambiguity often lie in how diversity is both operationalized and measured. Eschewing the popular approach of using differences in objective criteria to signal diversity, a deep-level approach that focuses on differences in personal values is taken in this study. Value diversity is measured in the two forms of variety and separation and their associations with team creativity are explored. The investigation is augmented by considering the mediating role of team communication in these associations. The analysis was conducted on a sample of 98 teams, using both subjective and objective measures. The findings reveal that when considering value diversity in terms of variety, there is a positive association between diversity and team creativity. However, when the separation dimension of value diversity is considered, a negative association between diversity and team creativity is identified. Complex pathways pertaining to the role of communication within these relationships are also uncovered. In moving beyond rudimentary categories and measurement of diversity, this study further elucidates the complexity of the diversity–creativity relationship. Conclusions are drawn and implications for further research and managerial practice are derived

Employment opportunities and barriers on the Russian and German labor market for international graduates with domestic degrees

Assuming that employment prospects in the country of education represent a pull factor for international students to enroll in higher education programs abroad and a selling proposition for higher education institutions campaigning for international students, this study aims at investigating the validity of these prospects. Using a qualitative research approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with recruiters of 12 companies in Germany and Russia. A content analysis was applied to identify and compare employment opportunities and barriers for international graduates with domestic degrees at individual, organizational, and institutional levels. Findings include that country-specific human capital components are highly valued by employers, that the organization’s stage of internationalization determines the valuation of human capital components as well as the availability of customized recruiting practices, and that the institutional framewor —particularly the law on labor migration—influences employers’ receptivity for international graduates as well as their international staffing strategies in general. Findings are interpreted on the background of pertinent theoretical perspectives. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations given for international students, higher education institutions, employers, and policy-makers

Employment opportunities and barriers on the Russian and German labor market for international graduates with a degree

It has been recognized that to increase the competetitiveness of international higher education institutions in the global education market, their international graduates' employability must be enhanced. The present paper investigates, from the employers' perspective, the possibilities of international graduates with domestic degrees in Russia and Germany to find jobs in the Russian and German labor market. It uses qualitative open-ended interviews at 12 companies in St. Petersburg, Russia and Germany, which are engaged with International Business activities. The investigation concentrates on the employment opportunities and barriers of international graduates from an individual, organizational and an institutional perspective. The research highlighted the main differences and similarities in the perception of the HR managers in both countries. In the German labor market, companies have a high demand for international graduates, especially those operating internationally, highly demand international graduates, emphasizing the existence of international trainee programs and the need to reflect the diversity of their business in the diversity of their staff. In contrast, Russian companies showed a positive predisposition for international graduates but no demand. Domestic firms focus their efforts on expatriate programs and/or highly-qualified specialists rather than trainee programs to hire internationals. On the other hand, insitutional barriers exist, as well as a lack of support with regards to regulations and requirements for entering both Russian and German markets. The national language requirement was stressed as the major barrier towards hiring internationals in both countries. The investigation from an organizational point of view revealed that interviewers showed a positive predisposition towards international graduates in both countries, focusing on the graduate's skill set rather than their nationality. This research explores the opportunities and barriers and discusses the implications for students and universities

Zur empirischen Analyse organisationaler Lernprozesse im öffentlichen Sektor : Teil 2: Methoden und Ergebnisse

Die Leistungsfähigkeit kommunaler Verwaltungen bildet den Hintergrund für das von der DFG geförderte Forschungsprojekt 'Policybezogenes Lernen kommunaler Sozialverwaltungen' an der Fakultät für Verwaltungswissenschaft der Universität Konstanz. Ziel dieses Forschungsprojektes ist es, das Lernverhalten und -potential zweier kommunaler Sozialverwaltungen zu untersuchen. Dies erfolgt entlang des Themas 'Organizational learning', welches in den letzten Jahren in Theorie und Praxis starke Beachtung gefunden hat