Knowledge Management and Organisational Learning in Business Organisations and Biological Systems

Diploma Thesis , 2000 , 53 Pages , Grade: 1

Didactics - Business economics, Economic Pedagogy

Writers on management and organisational excellence today provide a set of prescriptions which they argue will lead to healthy, well functioning firms. Within the management sciences there has been a growing tendency to view organisations as complex systems, that is, to describe them as organisms. Increasingly the hard sciences are being used to describe and analyse organisations. In the field of creative problem solving several systems authors have advocated the use of metaphors to describe certain aspects of organisations.
In reviewing much of today’s management literature we are exhorted to use benchmarks, for a variety of management tasks. In reviewing organisational excellence we are duty bound to find a measure that will be relevant tomorrow as well as today. Conjoining these current themes in management, this thesis seeks to review what we know
about the effective collective functioning of selected species and to compare these natural systems with organisational systems.
We posit the question: Can an understanding of the functioning of natural systems help us to understand how organisations function. If so, what can we learn about the effective functioning of organisations. Firstly we will review common management theories, with a focus on organisational learning and knowledge management.
Secondly we will look at three natural organisations: Honey bees, leaf-cutter ants and the African locust. We want to find out how these organisations function, and specifically search for knowledge management and organisational learning within these biological systems. Then we will try to link management theories with our findings in natural organisations. This approach will finally deliver some interesting hypothesis about knowledge management
and organisational learning – both valid for human and natural organisations.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• TECHNICAL REMARKS
• PREFACE
• INTRODUCTION
• I. MANAGEMENT THEORIES ON ORGANISATIONAL LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
  • 1.1. A COMPANY'S DRIVING FORCES: THE SEVEN-S-MODEL (MCKINSEY & COMPANY, INC.)
  • 1.2. THE STRUCTURE OF ORGANISATIONS (HENRY MINTZBERG)
  • 1.3. THE 21ST CENTURY: „COLLABORATING TO COMPETE?"
  • 1.4. THE 5TH DISCIPLINE – INNOVATING THE LEARNING ORGANISATION (PETER M. SENGE)
  • 1.5. THE „PEAK PERFORMANCE ORGANISATION“ (PPO)– WHAT MANAGEMENT CAN LEARN FROM SPORTS ORGANISATIONS (UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO, NEW ZEALAND)
  • 1.6. WORKGROUPS AND VIRTUAL ORGANISATIONS: FASHION OR FUTURE?
  • 1.7. DRIVERS FOR EXCELLENCE
    • 1.7.1. LEADERSHIP
    • 1.7.2.1. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
    • 1.7.2.2. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AS SUPPORTING TOOL FOR KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL LEARNING
  • 1.9. SUMMARY AND KEY FINDINGS
• II. ORGANISATIONAL LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT WITHIN NATURAL SYSTEMS
  • 2.1. NATURAL SYSTEMS
  • 2.2. ORGANISATIONAL EXCELLENCE – BIOLOGICAL NETWORKS
    • 2.2.1. HONEY BEES
    • 2.2.2. LEAF-CUTTER ANTS
    • 2.2.3. THE AFRICAN LOCUST
  • 2.3. ORGANISATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT WITHIN NATURAL ORGANISATIONS: SUMMARY AND KEY FINDINGS
• III. MANAGEMENT LITERATURE LINKED WITH NATURAL SYSTEMS
  • 3.1. MCKINSEY'S 7-S-MODEL WITHIN NATURAL ORGANISATIONS
  • 3.2. MINTZBERG: SITUATIONAL FACTORS AS DETERMINANTS OF ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE AND STRATEGY
  • 3.3. THE 5TH DISCIPLINE – ANTS, BEES AND LOCUST POPULATIONS AS LEARNING ORGANISATIONS
  • 3.4. LEAF-CUTTER ANTS - A PEAK PERFORMANCE ORGANISATION?
• IV. CONCLUSIONS
  • 4.1. WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE?
  • 4.2. PREREQUISITES FOR LEARNING
  • 4.3. WHEN DOES KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT REALLY WORK?
  • 4.5. HOW DOES ORGANISATIONAL LEARNING FUNCTION?
  • 4.6. HOW TO ENFORCE ORGANISATIONAL LEARNING
  • 4.7. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL LEARNING?
• APPENDIX
• APPENDIX TO 1.7.2.2. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AS SUPPORTING TOOL FOR KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL LEARNING
• GLOSSARY
  • 1. MANAGEMENT TERMINOLOGY
  • 2. SYSTEMS TERMINOLOGY
• BIBLIOGRAPHY
  • 1. MANAGEMENT
  • 2. BIOLOGY
  • 3. SYSTEMS
• SPACE FOR READER'S COMMENTS

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis aims to explore the concepts of knowledge management and organizational learning by drawing parallels between business organizations and biological systems. It examines how these concepts manifest in both human-made and natural organizations, seeking to understand the underlying principles and mechanisms that drive effective collective functioning.

• Knowledge Management and Organizational Learning in Business Organizations
• Knowledge Management and Organizational Learning in Biological Systems
• Comparison of Management Theories with Natural Systems
• Identifying Key Principles and Mechanisms for Effective Collective Functioning
• Exploring the Benefits of Knowledge Management and Organizational Learning

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The first chapter provides an overview of prominent management theories related to organizational learning and knowledge management. It examines frameworks like McKinsey's 7-S Model, Mintzberg's organizational structure theory, and Senge's concept of the learning organization. The chapter also explores the role of leadership, information technology, and other drivers for organizational excellence.

The second chapter delves into the world of natural systems, focusing on three specific examples: honey bees, leaf-cutter ants, and the African locust. It analyzes how these biological organizations function, highlighting their knowledge management and organizational learning mechanisms. The chapter examines how these natural systems achieve collective success and adapt to their environments.

The third chapter bridges the gap between management theories and natural systems. It explores how the frameworks discussed in the first chapter can be applied to understand the functioning of the biological organizations presented in the second chapter. This chapter aims to identify common principles and patterns across both human-made and natural systems.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The key words and focus themes of the text include knowledge management, organizational learning, business organizations, biological systems, natural systems, honey bees, leaf-cutter ants, African locust, McKinsey's 7-S Model, Mintzberg's organizational structure theory, Senge's learning organization, peak performance organization, leadership, information technology, and drivers for excellence. The thesis explores the similarities and differences between human-made and natural organizations in terms of knowledge management and organizational learning, aiming to identify universal principles for effective collective functioning.

• Grade: 1
• Author: MBA Ulrike Christine Proesl (Author)
• Publication Year: 2000
• Pages: 53
• Catalog Number: V185516
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656980162
• ISBN (Book): 9783867464055
• Language: English
• Tags: knowledge, management, organisational, learning, business, organisations, biological, systems