The role of self-transcending knowledge in Senge’s understanding of learning organizations towards an interdisciplinary taxonomy of self-transcending knowledge

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of self-transcending knowledge as one of P. Senge’s common themes underpinning his five disciplines approach. It will be shown that the notions of vision, purpose and transcendence, especially self-transcendence are closely related to each other. However, the aspect of self-transcendence has not been covered well yet in the existing literature. That is why this paper is guided by the following research question: What does a consolidated, integrative and interdisciplinary concept of self-transcending knowledge look like, and what are its defining and unifying features and characteristics with respect to learning organizations? Design/methodology/approach This conceptual paper draws on (both theoretical and empirical) interdisciplinary evidence from a wide variety of fields, such as organization studies, psychology, philosophy, learning organizations, cognitive science and innovation studies. Key authors from the field of self-transcending knowledge and their approaches will be discussed to develop a unified interdisciplinary concept of self-transcending knowledge and its possible applications, which will be demonstrated in a case study. Findings Self-transcending knowledge turns out to be central in the fields of learning (organizations) and innovation, as it deals with future-oriented knowledge that is “not yet”, that transcends the boundaries of existing knowledge. It is based on self-detachment, the notion of potentials and the insight that novel knowledge is not only the result of a creative agent (or organization) but also can be found and cocreated through an attentive search in an unfolding reality. Originality/value Existing literature in the field of P. Senge’s five disciplines (and beyond) does not offer a comprehensive concept of self-transcending knowledge. This paper addresses this issue by bringing together approaches from a wide range of fields related to this concept; it develops an interdisciplinary and coherent notion and taxonomy of self-transcending knowledge and shows its impact for learning organizations and innovation.

A spiritual perspective on Senge’s five disciplines: harmony and Alibaba

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate Peter Senge’s ideas from the perspective of the spiritual ideal of harmony/He (和). Design/methodology/approach Following a literature review of the conceptualization of Senge’s fifth discipline and harmony, an appreciative case study of Alibaba is adopted to demonstrate the role of harmony in guiding the transformative application of the five disciplines of the learning organization. Findings In developing as a learning organization, Alibaba is portrayed as having embraced three levels of harmony: person-within-oneself, person-to-others and person-to-nature harmony. The authors identify three equivalencies between Senge’s disciplines and the traditional Chinese ideal of harmony. First, personal mastery and metal models correspond to developing person-within-oneself harmony. Second, team learning and shared vision entail developing person-to-others harmony. Third, systems thinking aligns with person-to-nature harmony. Practical implications The case study demonstrates various approaches that can be used to foster the development of person-within-oneself, person-to-others and person-to-nature harmony within an aspiring learning organization. Originality/value This paper shows how core values of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, distilled into the Chinese ideal of harmony, can encourage the cultivation of learning organizations.

Business and Social Media

During the 21st century, businesses benefit from two key components of effective innovation: social media and collaboration. This chapter provides an in-depth analysis to study the interrelatedness of these components. Featured in this chapter are classroom exercises to deepen the learning of students. By providing multiple recent social media examples, the reality of the integral ways in which social media permeates our lives is delivered. Introduced in the chapter is a sixth discipline, an extension of Senge's five disciplines of collaboration. Through the presentation of a new leadership model based upon the six disciplines, the impact of social media is examined. The conclusion of the chapter contains definitions of the concepts introduced. The use of social media has been and still remains a strategically keen tool in business effectiveness.*

Evaluation of Sociotechnical Systems in Managing Corporate Social Responsibility and Stakeholders' Engagement

The aim of this chapter is to explore at the Finnish Kemira Corporation how a corporation manages corporate social responsibility (CSR) and stakeholders' engagement. Greimas' actantial model and Senge's five disciplines were applied to evaluate CSR reports with a sociotechnical systems approach in relation to the stakeholders: (1) employees, (2) suppliers, (3) financiers and shareholders, and (4) communities and authorities. It was found that issues of CSR management and stakeholder engagement should be involved in strategic corporate decision making. The business strategy of the corporation emphasizes adherence to CSR guidelines and business standards that reflect the concerns of the stakeholders. CSR strategic procedures indicate the implementation of the corporation's measures to promote and pursue CSR goals that extend beyond their legal responsibilities.

Aligning the Tuning Forks: Using the Intersections of Organizational Frames and Systems Disciplines: Facilitating Effective Collaboration between Schools Needing Improvement and Regional Improvement Agencies

The purpose of this article is to align the needs and wants of schools in need of improvement and state, federal, and regional agencies charged with assisting them in their reform efforts by using spreadsheet thinking through two lenses, Bolman and Deal's four organizational paradigms and Peter Senge's five disciplines of a learning organization. Taken together, in a force-fitting Tuning Forks model approach, where analysts use the intersection of each framework insofar as they act on each other, enables school improvement collaborators to align new action perspectives. This article is divided into three sections: The first part presents the context to the issues associated with collaboration between Regional Educational Improvement Agencies (REA) and Schools in Need of Improvement (SU). The second section provides descriptions of the two analytical dimensions. These are then synthesized into cross impact charts that demonstrate potential issues either driving or obstructing their collaborative efforts. A third section provides guidelines to minimize obstructions and promotes collaborative alignment between schools in need of reform and regional agencies charged with assisting their efforts.

Business and Social Media

During the 21st century, businesses benefit from two key components of effective innovation: social media and collaboration. This chapter provides an in-depth analysis to study the interrelatedness of these components. Featured in this chapter are classroom exercises to deepen the learning of students. By providing multiple recent social media examples, the reality of the integral ways in which social media permeates our lives is delivered. Introduced in the chapter is a sixth discipline, an extension of Senge's five disciplines of collaboration. Through the presentation of a new leadership model based upon the six disciplines, the impact of social media is examined. The conclusion of the chapter contains definitions of the concepts introduced. The use of social media has been and still remains a strategically keen tool in business effectiveness.*

Revisiting the roots of learning organization

PurposeThis paper aims to provide a literature synthesis of the learning organization and discuss several pertinent theoretical concepts on the subject.Design/methodology/approachA range of works mainly from 1990‐2004, which aim at providing a variety of perspectives on the learning organization, have been analyzed and discussed based on its theoretical roots and ontological perspectives.FindingsThe synthesis of the literature reveals several common themes from the various learning organization definitions and discovers the greater significance of systems thinking in Senge's five disciplines.Research limitations/implicationsIt is not an exhaustive coverage of the learning organization literature. However it offers great research implications where several key concepts can be further explored. For example, is systems thinking really crucial to organizational learning?Practical implicationsPractitioners may find the analysis of the various models in relation to Senge's five disciplines useful, as there are concepts that can be implemented in practice.Originality/valueIt is the amalgamation of several key concepts in the learning organization and the analysis of these concepts in relation to The Fifth Discipline which readers will be familiar and able to identify with. People who are interested in pursuing research in the learning organization will find this paper handy as it provides a useful overview of the subject.

Planarbeid i trosopplæring som ressurs for menigheten?

All congregations in the Church of Norway have to make their own local plan for Christian education, according to a National curriculum. In this article we are following six congregations in their working process, and we are asking how the congregation can learn from the process for congregational planning in general. As theoretical perspectives we use Van Gelder’s technical and cultural changes and Senge’s five disciplines of learning organizations. We see that congregations can learn different attitudes and skills. The working process develops didactic insight and competence among staff and volunteers. Developing work about core activities in the congregation is not only a systematic, technical working process. It is especially a cultural endeavor, where you have to deal with different ideas, visions and values. Keywords: Christian education, Church of Norway, developing local plan, learning congregation SammendragAlle menigheter i Den norske kirke må utvikle sin egen lokale plan for trosopplæring. Artikkelen utforsker arbeidsprosessen med lokal plan i seks menigheter og undersøker sammenhengen mellom dette planarbeidet og utviklingsarbeid i menigheten generelt. Vi bruker Van Gelders skjelning mellom tekniske og kulturelle endringer, samt Senges fem disipliner for lærende organisasjoner som teoretiske perspektiv. Menighetene lærer ulike holdninger og ferdigheter gjennom planarbeidet. Det gir didaktisk innsikt og økt kompetanse hos ansatte og frivillige. Utvikling av en plan og gjennomføring av kjerneaktiviteter i menighetens trosopplæring er mer enn en systematisk, teknisk arbeidsprosess. Utviklingsarbeidet innebærer også kulturelle utfordringer, der en må bearbeide ulike ideer, visjoner og verdier. Nøkkelord: Trosopplæring, Den norske kirke, utvikling av lokal plan for trosopplæring, lærende menighet