Learning can be described as the act of acquiring skills, knowledge, opinions and attitude. On the other hand, innovation is the ability to devise or come up with unique products, ideas, or methods of production. In most instances, major strides in economic development cannot be achieved in the absence of innovative ideas.
Additionally, both learning and innovation may not yield positive outcomes in the absence of good planning. It is pertinent to note that learning is a multidimensional construct. As such, it has been largely used as a process of improving the acquired skills and knowledge that are required in running organizations.
Empirical studies have demonstrated that good planning usually results into innovation and organizational leaning. The latter are key concepts that influence the performance of organizations positively. Learning and innovation within a business entity are usually enhanced by good organizational planning.
Therefore, they are directly associated with organizational performance. It is critical to indicate that several organizations often anticipate devising new strategies that can enable them to attain the much needed competitive advantage.
Moreover, latest transformations that have taken place within the business world has reinforced the importance of cultivating good planning in order to attain organizational learning and innovation.
Most of the conventional strategies often lose their effectiveness. In addition, employing the concept of professional organizational planning can significantly be helpful in overcoming various weaknesses and threats facing a business enterprise.
As such, good organizational planning should entail the adoption of new skills that can boost future performance in a business entity.
There are quite a number of business scholars who attest to the fact that learning and innovation are part and parcel of vital parameters required in the development business enterprises.
In fact, some economic scholars have reiterated that adequate learning and innovative capabilities in an organization largely rely on proper organizational planning. When good planning is given a top priority, it will definitely improve competitiveness and performance of a firm.
Some past research studies have demonstrated that the only way to implement new ideas (innovation), services, processes and products is by developing shrewd planning strategies in all spheres of business development.
On the same note, experimental results have indicated that lack of good organizational planning learning and development may grossly influence performance of a firm.
This type of influence may be both directly and indirectly. From a conceptual framework point of view, the application of integrative models of learning in business entities can indeed enhance growth and development. Such conceptual frameworks may not be realized if sound and professional planning is not put on board.
Moreover, innovation usually comes in form of new ideas. However, when proper planning is not put in place, even the so-called new ideas may simply jeopardize the operations of a business organization.
For example, generative organizational planning enhances positive transformation of culture, belief systems, personal or social values, policies, objectives as well as business tactics. In this regard, it enables the analysis of previous operations in order to propagate change that is transformational in nature.
Besides, this category of learning poses a great challenge to the present status of a business entity in order to improve organizational performance.
Good organizational planning also fosters adaptive learning. The latter is inevitably a critical model of learning bearing in mind that it stimulates the establishment professional planning strategies that can significantly assist a firm to cope with both the active and passive operational challenges.
It is notable that there are abrupt changes that usually take place in organizations. Such unplanned and abrupt changes may significantly affect overall productivity and profitability of a firm. Some of the abrupt and disruptive changes may entail economic recession, inflation and the changing government policies.
Unless proper planning is initiated and sustained throughout the life of an organization, then a business entity will not be in a position to attain adaptive learning and impressive innovation.
Besides, good organizational planning will makes it easy for an organization to confine itself in examining and identifying malpractices that can negatively impact the overall performance of a business organization.
In most instances, organizations are usually required to develop rudimentary associations within their contexts so that all the short-term effects can be fully catered for just in case of any eventuality.
As such, good organizational planning will produce both generative and adaptive learning models that are required to harness innovation. In any case, a well defined organizational planning strategy can arguably complement the core outcomes of innovation and organizational learning.
Research studies have demonstrated that most enterprises often embrace these models of learning so that they can be assured of ther flexibility and adaptability towards positive growth and development.
Josserand, Teo and Clegg (2006, p.58) point out that good planning in an organization is critical in enhancing learning and innovation. In fact, both innovation and good planning arise from the positive attributes of organizational learning.
From a scholarly point of view, Collins (2006, p.142) posits that good organizational planning is usually depicted by the nature of the immediate business environment. These changes trigger development of fresh thought processes through learning.
Therefore, it is obvious that good organizational planning is instrumental in enhancing creativity and the ability of an organization to be pro-active.
When the aspect of innovation is discussed, issues related to positive growth and developmental can hardly escape the mind they equally affect both the marketing and entrepreneurial factors of production.
Therefore, it is vital to note that adequate organizational planning improves the creativity (innovativeness) and profitability needed in order for a business organization to succeed.
From the above discussion, it is certain that good planning assists in the growth of organizations. As a matter of fact, proper planning is no longer an option in the running of organizations.
Collins (2006, p.144) lament that it is not possible for any business firm to ignore good planning if it has the desire to attain innovativeness and successful organizational learning.
In addition, long term well being and profitability of an organization in terms of being competitive and the potential to attain improved performance is highly dependent on the nature of organizational planning that has been put in place.
Moreover, realizing the importance of these aspects has led into the desire of determining the future productivity of an organization.
Collins (2006, p. 140) assert that there is a vital correlation between good planning and the level of organizational performance bearing in mind that organizations that integrate both innovation and learning practices usually experience positive trends in their outputs.
In spite of that, researchers concur that unless these constructs are incorporated according to objectives of a business organization, positive outcomes may not be realized (Josserand, Teo & Clegg 2006, p.55)
Recent studies have revealed that the productivity in organization ca be measured through performance management. However, this may not be easy to acchieve (Collins 2006, p.144). Realistically, organizational learning assists in optimizing, coordinating and also managing human resources.
Therefore, this makes it easy to boost competitive pressures (Jack 2004, p.126). From a general outlook obtained from various firms, evidence has illustrated that these two constructs are the major prerequisites for improved performance of organizations.
Jack (2004, p.126) notes that organizational planning enhances job satisfaction at various places of work.
It is apparent that the performance of employees can be used to predict a positive relationship between planning, innovation and organizational learning. The level of performance of workers is affected by myriads of factors. For example, unity and cohesion are critical factors of development in any business set up.
The existence of harmony in organizations usually leads to collective approach and coordination of vital activities. In order to enhance this working attribute, the workforce should be competent in terms of knowledge, values and skills.
It has been noted that several businesses that have managed to harness close cooperation among employees have benefitted greatly from the accompanying competences. Moreover, job satisfaction improves the morale of employees. In the absence of good planning, such benefits cannot be realized.
Business entities that have realized poor performance among workers are highly likely to be missing adequate planning in their development programs.
Josserand, Teo and Clegg (2006, p.57) elucidate that the performance of employees can be enhanced by instituting learning, training and development programs at workplace. This improves the level of services delivered to clients. In addition, when clients are satisfied, an organization will be equally highly regarded.
It is also vital to mention that whenever workers enroll in programs related to learning and development; their levels of flexibility and personal accountability also tend to improve (Courpasson & Clegg 2012, p.73). Such programs also add value to their indigenous skills and competences.
Therefore, it is expected that increased performance of workers in an organization is clear indicator that proper planning has been put in place
According to Collins (2006, p. 150), organizational learning and innovative processes ought to be taken seriously by managements in organizations because they are considered to be powerful parameters of managing people and organizations.
In any case, there are myriads of cultural assumptions that often do not auger well with the productivity of employees (Courpasson & Clegg 2012, p. 63). Since human management is a critical exercise at the place of work, it should be taken as part and parcel of central planning of activities in organizations.
Klein (2000, p.87) observes that positive relationship between innovation and organizational learning can be easily attained through an active planning program. The latter can also be positively influenced by the level of commitment among the top leadership of an organization.
In addition, organizational planning learning is one of the management variables that can be utilized in strengthening the relationship between innovation and organizational learning.
For example, it is obvious that the performance of employees is directly proportional to the outcomes obtained from proper organizational planning and development.
Empirical research results have demonstrated that there are several ways of attaining a proper organizational planning especially when there is need to attain learning and innovation in an organization.
Courpasson and Clegg (2012, p. 64) note that even though the aspect of learning has been treated quite differently from training, both of these terms can be used to produce the same results.
For example, when there is need to improve the innovative nature of an organization, it is necessary to train the necessary members of staff or employees who are most suited for the task at hand. Organizations that do not stick any importance to training programs for employees may hardly reap the benefits that accompany it.
Therefore, organizational learning is a critical component of training. As such, the two aspects cannot be separated from each other.
This explains why Courpasson and Clegg (2012, p.61) posit that the performance and outcomes of a business entity are usually dependent on skills and knowledge gained through organizational learning and training.
It can also be argued out that the two organizational practices are critical components of innovation since no single organization can innovate its operations and product offerings if adequate training and learning programs are not instituted.
Whenever workers acquire new strategies, an organization will benefit from the diverse pool of skills, knowledge and competences that will be exhibited by the learned employees. On the same note, organizational learning in the modern world has been regarded as a vital aspect of business operations.
It is also justified to argue that proper organizational planning is an investment that can be made possible through training.
Josserand, Teo and Clegg (2006, p.57) present an assumption that through adequate planning of activities that an organization is supposed to carry out, the most competent leadership structures can be installed in each department of an organization since they will be clearly understanding their unique goals as departmental heads.
In other words, adequate planning in an organization will assist in attaining both the short and long term goals of an organization.
Needless to say, leaders who understand their unique purposes and roles in organizations are also in a position to cultivate the customs, culture and values that promote the reputation of their places of work.
It is also expected that when employees attain the best training skills through a well planned organizational learning program, they will directly benefit through individual career development. Being innovative through performance management informed thinking will not be a difficult task to handle.
From a scholarly point of view, Knights and Roberts (1982, p.48) argue that organizations that often excel in attaining a competitive edge usually invest a lot of capital and human resource in the field of planning.
This notion has been supported by Birkinshaw and Gibson (2004, p.50) who concur that continuous organizational learning is a key pillar in the entire process of planning and as such, it cannot be ignored.
In summing up, it can be observed that good planning is the starting point towards the success of any business organization that desires to remain competitive in the marketplace. It is only through proper planning that a business entity will be able to accelerate its level of innovation through the acquired organizational learning.
In addition, organizational planning has proved to be instrumental in harnessing the potential of employees who may be talented beyond their various areas of operation within an organization.
References
Birkinshaw, J. & Gibson, C. 2004, ‘Building ambidexterity into an organization’, MIT Sloan Management Review, vol. 45, pp. 47-55.
Collins, D. 2006, ‘Assaying the âadvice industryâ’, Culture and Organization, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 139-152.
Courpasson, D. & Clegg, S.R. 2012, ‘The polyarchic organization: Internal contention in the workplace and the construction of a new political structure’, in, Research in the sociology of organizations, Emerald, Bingley, UK, pp. 55-80.
Jack, G. 2004, ‘On speech, critique and protection’, Ephemera, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 121-134.
Josserand, E., Teo, S. & Clegg, S. 2006, ‘From bureaucratic to post–âbureaucratic: The difficulties of transition’, Journal Of Organizational Change Management, vol. 19, no.1, pp. 54-64.
Klein, N. 2000, ‘The branding of learning’, in, No logo: Taking aim at the brand bullies, Picador, New York, pp. 87-105.
Knights, D. & Roberts, J. 1982, ‘The power of organization or the organization of power?’, Organization Studies, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 47-63.