Introduction
In the modern world, the increase of advanced information and technological solutions has made way for automated office, teleworking, and e-commerce as some of the organizations’ way of life. Information systems way of working can only be appreciated by understanding the information technologies used and the way they can be merged to create a system (Perry, 2008, p 3)
Organization learning can be described as a process followed by organizations with the main aim of improving the organization’s performance. Outcome measures, one or more goals, relevant people, and knowledge are just but a few of the elements that are involved in performance process.
In the organizational learning process, the organization is expected to anticipate, act on the feedback, and extract knowledge from the feedback attained and act accordingly based on the knowledge acquired.
Not only is the organizational learning involved in adaptive learning, it is also involved in generative learning that entails creation of the future. Organizational learning can hence be summarized as processes used to improve an organization’s competence and are inseparable from organizational performance (Smith, Salvendy, 2001, p 306)
Educators have often faced challenges in finding better ways of incorporating business managers in getting to know about information systems and information technology’s way of working.
The advancement of modern information technology and information systems has offered new solutions of rethinking, the present business strategies, practices, and approaches. In the last few decades, IT has opened up doors for new business opportunities (Barta, Tatnall, Juliff and International federation for information processing, 1997, p 1&2).
Organization learning and information technology management
The radical change in the world’s business environment has arisen from three phenomena:
- networking of organizations and their information systems
- global emphasis in business operations
- increasing utilization of market mechanisms in mutual transactions.
In the organization context, businesses are expected to manage the design and implementation of information resources. In the modern digital economy, operators perform electronic transactions with their partners in the international market (information resources management association. International conference and Khosrowpour, 2002, p 314)
In the modern economy environment, learn has been acknowledged as the best alternative for a company to be competitive in maintaining knowledge. These companies are hence called learning organizations because they create structures in order to increase organizational learning. Organizational learning is hence considered as a process based on acquisition of knowledge, sharing of knowledge and utilizing that knowledge.
The development and growth of information and communication technologies has led to new learning and working forms of industrial challenges. In the modern times, becoming a learning organization is considered as the best way of remaining competitive.
Indeed, the roots of a learning organization are normally anchored in a culture that that provides training at different levels (Lytras, Pablos, Ziderman, Roulstone, Maurer, Imber, 2010, p 306)
According to Wilson, the hunger for knowledge management has paved way for creation of software, consulting services and systems. Knowledge databases are common in the modern world as consulting firms are introducing relating services e.g. Ernst and young-center for business knowledge, pricewaterhouse-knowledge view and Accenture- knowledge Xchange (Wilson, 2005, p 115).
According to Sage and Rouse, learning involves several processes:
- situation assessment
- Detection of a problem
- synthesis of probable solution
- implementation of the solution
- Evaluation of the results 60 discovering patterns among preceding processes.
This is hence described as a formal process of learning. Organizational learning occurs when members of a certain organization reacts to change of internal and external environment by detecting and correcting the errors (Sage, Rouse, 2009, p 1444)
Learning by doing is a type of learning that the learner is expected to participate in processes that result to real change. The learner in this case controls the stage and plays a role in controlling the activities happening in the environment.
If the indicated interaction fails to occur, the learner will be merely enduring the learning process. This type of learning is also referred to as “action learning” (Barta, Tatnall, Juliff, and International federation for information processing, 1997, p 3).
Organizational information systems
Information technology helps organizations to deal with a number of various types of organizational informational systems that are designed to aid in decision-making. The organizational information systems include different categories:
- Data processing systems or transaction processing systems (DPSs/TPSs): The DPSs and the TPSs are systems that are involved in processing of tasks that are repetitive in nature. Use of well-structured information is employed as the data is easily captured and stored in large volumes (Perry, 2008, p 15).
- Management information systems (MISs): This system provides the middle- level managers with information to monitor to track and control organization’s progress and to report to the senior managers (Perry, 2008, p 15).
- Executive information system (EISs): This system aids senior managers with strategic information that helps them in making concrete decisions. In addition to this, the EISs possess powerful software that supports the various types of high risks and unstructured decisions. This is achieved by the ability of the EISs to merge information from the organization, analyze it and finally represents it. An example of EISs is the Key performance indicators (PLs) (Perry, 2008, p 15).
- Decision support systems (DSSs): Provide information to managers of supporting unstructured decisions by retrieving and analyzing data. Its interactive capabilities aid in solving ad hoc queries. The mathematical model incorporated in DSSs is designed to adapt to the behavior of organizational activity. By generating various kind of potential solutions the DSSs enable the managers to conduct the “what if analysis” (Perry, 2008, p 16).
- Expert systems (ESs): There are situations that require a more sophisticated support than the EIS or the DSS. The ES system adapts to problem solving techniques of human expertise. Among the benefits of ESs is the preservation of knowledge, effective training, and distribution of knowledge. Examples of ESs include tax and investment appraisal, credit control systems and auditing (Perry, 2008, p 16).
Strength of organization learning and information technology management
Competitive advantage
According to Wilson, the reason for learning and knowledge management is that it provides a competitive advantage. The traditional competing methods have been improved, as they are faster and cheaper in the modern world. Currently, firms compete by doing things in a better and smarter way. This is achieved by attaining knowledge and applying it accordingly. Thanks to the competition created many goods and services are now cheaper than years ago (Wilson, 2005, p 115).
Explicit and tacit knowledge
The tacit and explicit knowledge are innovated and acquired through the operations undertaken in the organizational learning and information technology management. In tacit knowledge, the technical skills are acquired through experience gained. Explicit knowledge on the other hand can be communicated and shared in specifications of products (Wilson, 2005, p 118)
Teleworking
Office automation technology has brought about a big impact of staff working from home. Staff has now the ability to communicate to clients and colleagues by using a combination of communication technology. Operational costs of the firms are hence reduced (Perry, 2008, p12).
Electronic data interchange
Network technology has been implemented by many organizations i.e. data can be transmitted from computer to computer electronically using electronic data interchange (EDI). EDI has in time replaced conventional business documentation (Perry, 2008, p.12)
Challenges of organization learning and information technology management
In comparison with other new technologies, the technologies involved in information technology management cannot lack its share of challenges. The challenges involved are not technical related but instead they are non-technical components related (Khosrowpour, 2002, p ii). These challenges include:
Expensive software
The software used in the in the process of information technology management is expensive and too proprietary. This is because specialized software must be created by the participating organization to convert in an understandable format to other business (information resources management association, International conference and Khosrowpour, 2002, p 348)
High installation and maintenance fees
The cost of installing and maintaining this modern technology is high as it is commonly installed in large and well-financed companies. High-qualified expertise is also needed in the implementation and maintenance of these technologies.
Conclusion
Information technology (IT) has become a way of life in the modern world. The rapid growing information technology sector has drawn more and more organizations into the technology industry. Organizational learning on the other hand has been incorporated into the organizations system in order for the members to mobilize collective knowledge in the organization.
The main aim of learning is to develop the capacities of acquisition, processing, storage, and use of information of the members in the organization (Lytras, Pablos, Ziderman, Roulstone, Maurer, Imber, 2010, p 307).
Organizational structure perspective and management system focuses on collective learning processes that are elaborated by formal organizational structures and management systems inform of control and planning processes. This means that an organizational learning process requires:
- Learning process: Despite the fact that individual learning is not classified as organizational learning, organizational learning cannot take place without individual learning.
- Social process: It includes diverse actors who collaborate to allow expression and discussion of ideas.
- Knowledge management: This is the process whereby knowledge is acquired, shared and capitalized (Lytras, Pablos, Ziderman, Roulstone, Maurer, Imber, 2010, p 308).
Managing learning and measuring learning outcomes are considered difficult tasks although they can be more problematic with the inclusion of complex learning domains (Khosrowpour and Khosrow-Pour, 2006, p223). According to Leinder and Galliers, information systems development and design process has developed, from the early stages of analysis and design to active participation of user knowledge.
In spite of knowledge management being considered as a new topic, it is in fact a broader extension of the organizational learning (Galliers, Leidner, 2003, p 425). However, the organizational learning and information management have their share of strengths and weakness/challenges that accompany them.
Reference List
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