Research Title

To determine if the Petroleum, Chemicals & Mining Company can develop into a learning
organisation (LO) in Saudi Arabias business environment
Research Objectives
The research objectives of this paper are as follows:
1.

To assess the current learning status of the organization using three building blocks of a

learning organization:
a. A supportive learning environment
b. Concrete learning processes
c. Leadership that reinforces learning
2.
To use this assessment to define the organizations improvement areas
3.
To propose external and internal triggers that could lead to OL in the Petroleum,
Chemicals & Mining Company
Research Questions:
1.

Two of the three basic building blocks to form a LO are as follows: providing a support
environment where the employees do not fear asking questions and raising issues and the
presence of leaders that encourage employees to question and debate work-related issues.
The Petroleum, Chemicals & Mining Company is located in Saudi Arabia where questioning
the superiors intentions, decisions, and opinions is considered an outrage. Can the company
be transformed into a LO in these circumstances?

2.

Saudis are known to have a low threshold for adapting to any kind of change (Hofstede).
How many of the changes proposed by the learning assessment tool will be applicable to the
organization?

3.

In order to achieve OL, what kind of trigger events can be induced within the
organization?

4.

Are there any external trigger events that can affect the organization in the near future?

5.

Is Petroleum, Chemicals & Mining Company currently in a single loop OL stage?

6.

Is single loop OL ideal for the company considering its environmental conditions?
Research Hypothesis
The cultural atmosphere in Saudi Arabia can hinder the development of the Petroleum,
Chemicals & Mining Company into an LO. However, the organizations need for skilled
workforce and development (Brown, 1999) might enable it to grow within some of the
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building blocks that form a LO. Nevertheless, the effective application of this researchs
findings will remain a challenge for the Petroleum, Chemicals & Mining Company. Thus,
transforming the company into a LO might not be possible in the near future.
Research Themes
This paper analyses the Petroleum Chemical & Mining companys standing as a LO using
three building blocks (a supportive learning environment, concrete learning processes and
practices, and leadership that reinforces learning).
Learning Organisation (LO) and Organisational Learning (OL): There exist several
disparities regarding the definitions of these two concepts. Some of the definitions even
fail to recognise the difference between them. An interesting list of several compelling
reasons for promoting OL and LO is given below.
LO:
a. The organization remembers and learns
b. Public recording is unobtrusive and useful in the execution of work processes and
decision-making.
c. Principles and concepts may refer to a group, an organizational unit(s), or a
community suggesting notions of scalability and tailoring.
d. The notion of learning is different from the additive sum of individual
contributions (the whole is more than the sum of its parts).
e. Learning is applied to produce or modify individual dispositions, policies,
processes, and procedures (Levine, 2001).
OL:
a. About 70 percent of business efforts in process reengineering efforts or redesigns
fail.
b. Work groups in the 21st century will manage change in dynamic situations
c. Traditional management constructs (Ibid.).
This paper acknowledges the difference between LO and OL and is based on the
understanding that OL leads to the formation of LOs.
In LOs, processes are imbedded in the organisational culture that allow and encourage
learning at the individual, group, and organisational level and be transferred between
these levels. OL refers to the way in which individuals in an organisation learn, from the
approach they take to addressing a task-related challenge, to their understanding of how
they should learn (Sunassee & Haumant, 2004). The difference between OL and LO is
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that OL refers to the process, and LO, to structure (Ang & Damien, August 1996).
Therefore, OL is the theoretical form of learning that describes the means of achieving a
practical goal, that is, a LO (Sunassee & Haumant, 2004). Thus, it can be said that both
the concepts go hand-in-hand. To achieve a LO, it is essential that OL takes place.
Types of Organization Learning (OL): OL is described as a response to stimuli, that is, a
response to triggers (Ang & Damien, August 1996). The triggers can be external or internal
depending on whether the stimulus to undergo change comes from within or outside the
company. Ang & Damien state that External triggers are environmental jolts that occur
external of the organizations. They refer to changes in various dimensions in the
environment that require organizations to change existing routines and rules. These external
triggers include (1) rapid changes in business environment such as demographic changes,
and changes in consumer tastes and market demands; (2) rapid changes in technological
environment such as pace of change in IT; (3) redefinition of economic environment such as
new trade zones, and switch from planned to market economies; and (4) changes in
legislation resulting from changes in ecological environments or political regimes (August
1996).
Internal factors, on the other hand, refer to issues such as dealing with human resources. OL
can be triggered by internal factors such as the loss of the chief executive officer of a
company. This change forces OL among the members of the top management team.
Similarly, a new technology can also bring about OL within a team (Ibid.).
OL can be of the following types (Ibid.):
a. Single Loop Learning: Single loop learning involves first order error correction and
occurs when errors are detected and then fixed but no changes are made to the policies,
goals and functioning of the organisation (qtd by Argyris and Schn, 1978).
Organizations that survive in static environments with a low pace of change respond to
this.
b. Double Loop Learning: Double loop learning takes error correction to the second order.
Here, after the error has been detected and solved, the organisation questions it
occurrence and the reasons and factors that might have led to its occurrence. This is a
far-reaching change because people disregard old information and render it obsolete in
order to understand and use new information.
c. Deutero-Double Loop: In this, the organisation learns the learning process as well as the
process of encouraging single and double loop learning. The problem with this approach

is that despite providing insights into the importance of learning at the individual level, it
is difficult to extend it to a team or across the organisation.
d. Triple Loop Learning: This extends across all types of learning described until date. Here,
an organisations mission, vision, market position, culture, etc., that is, the very
foundation it is based on, is challenged.
Building Blocks of a Learning Organization (LO) (Garvin, Edmondson, & Gino, 2008): The
three broad blocks that are essential in forming a LO are described as follows:
A supportive learning environment: This refers to an environment that supports learning; it
has four distinguishing characteristics.
a. Psychological safety: To enable learning, employees should be provided with an
environment that dispels the fear of being belittled or marginalized over
disagreements, mistakes, nativity, etc. with colleagues or higher authorities.
Discussions and forthright opinions regarding work must be encouraged.
b. Appreciation of differences: This refers to the awareness that disparity in thoughts can
bring better learning opportunities as well inculcate an enthusiastic approach to work.
It is essential that innovative ideas be awarded the appreciation they deserve.
c. Time for reflection: The hours spent and the tasks completed are often the only
criteria to evaluate an employees effectiveness. However, stress environments
compromise creative and analytical thinking, and this in turn affects the diagnostic
capacity of the mind. A supporting learning environment should enable and applaud
contemplative reviews regarding the organizations development.
Concrete Learning Process: It is essential for learning processes to generate, collect,
interpret, and disseminate information. Research, competition intelligence, customer and
technological trends, training, analysis and interpretation of problems, etc. are important for
the development of employees. Knowledge sharing must be systematic and clearly defined;
knowledge should be dispersed throughout the organization to ensure information
availability when needed.
Leadership that reinforces learning: Leaders should be good listeners and question others.
This encourages debates and discussions and knowledge sharing among the employees.
Leaders set an example by entertaining alternative views and thus, promoting the sharing of
knowledge and propagation of ideas.
Research methodology and strategy
i. Data collection strategy: Primary research is in the form of personal interviews and focus
group interviews, and observational data.
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Secondary research and observational data collection is carried out to study the possible
external and internal triggers that could propel OL within the organization.
ii. Sample size: A sample size of at least 500 participants is recommended as it gives a low
(4.5%) margin of error (The Survey System).
ii. Sampling technique: A selected population from every division and level of the
organization is interviewed.
iv. Research instrument: A questionnaire based on the building blocks in the LO assessment
tool in Is Yours a Learning Organization? (Garvin, Edmondson, & Gino, 2008).
References
Ang, S., & Damien, J. (August 1996). Organizational Learning and Learning
Organizations:Trigger Events, Processes, and Structures. Nanyang Business School,
Singapore. Ohio, Cincinnati: Submitted for the Academy of Management Meetings,
Organizational Development and Change Division.
Brown, A. C. (1999). In Oil, Gold, and Gold: The Story of Aramco and the Saudi Kings
(p. 314). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Garvin, D. A., Edmondson, A. C., & Gino, F. (2008, March). Is Yours a Learning
Organization? Harvard Business Review.
Hofstede, G. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2011, from Geert Hofstede's website:
http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_arab_world.shtml
Levine, L. (2001). Integrating Knowledge and Process in a Learning Organization.
Information Systems Management.
Sunassee, N. N., & Haumant, V. (2004). Organisational Learning versus the Learning
Organisation. Proceedings of SAICSIT 2004. Rhodes University.
The Survey System. (n.d.). Sample Size Calculator. Retrieved May 1st, 2011, from
Creative Survey Systems: http://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm