National Culture and Senge’s Learning Organisation

Abstract

The Learning Organisation (LO) concept is popular amongst both practitioners and academics in a wide range of countries, but the theory is largely grounded in the thought of US business schools and the experience of large US corporations. The thesis addresses one main issue: the influence of national culture on the practice of the LO concept. Considering the influence of culture, the thesis focuses on the case of Singapore. Is the LO concept compatible with Singapore culture, which is characterised as being hierarchical, authoritarian and disciplined? To answer this question, qualitative case research was carried out in Singapore with two public sector organisations. This thesis argues that the LO concept is not culturally neutral and that any assessment of its usefulness must be situated within an understanding of the national cultural framework in which organisations are embedded. Using an ethnographic style of fieldwork, the thesis illustrates everyday work realities and practitioners' responses to LO practices from their cultural perspectives. It inquires into how participants made sense of the concept of LO, as well as their perceptions of Singapore culture, and the relationships between the two. A particular focus was the extent to which prevailing conceptions and practices of traditional Singapore culture facilitate, hinder or amend the implementation of LO principles. The findings show that the principles of the LO concept introduced in the current organisations are resisted as they are questionable as they are perceived to preserve the existing practices that are culturally embedded. The thesis offers two explanations for this apparent resistance. First, the LO concept has been exported to organisations without understanding its underlying cultural consequences for the practitioners and society. While Singapore introduced the LO to change the behaviour and mindset of organisational members, the premise of LO may not be culturally compatible with Singapore practices. Secondly, practitioners prefer to safeguard high power distance, discipline and order in running and managing organisations. The thesis contributes both to theory and practice. The main theoretical contribution is the argument that organisational theorists must take heed of the effects of national culture in evaluating any management concept that, like the Learning Organisation, focuses on personal and organisational change. For practitioners, an understanding of cultural knowledge is important before implementing organisational change programmes based on management theories. Specifically for Singapore practitioners, the thesis finds that there is scope for promoting a learning culture if it is to be accompanied by changes in the style of governance in Singapore.