Abstract
This paper describes a method for surfacing and exploring ‘situated knowledge’ in medium-sized organisations, with employee groups utilising a ‘low impact’ form of group support system (GSS), based on wireless handsets. Some results of piloting this method are summarised and one intervention is presented in detail. The method encouraged organisational members to give voice to the emotions and politics of leadership and learning in organisations, and helped to articulate how situated knowledge was ignored, as well as utilised. The method is practical, and may be used by organisations for themselves to aid the development of group as well as individual reflection, to stimulate the consideration of change.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alavi M and Leidner D (2001). Knowledge management and knowledge management systems: Conceptual foundations and research issues. MIS Quart 25 (1): 107–136.
Antonacopoulou E and Gabriel Y (2002). Emotion, learning and organisational change: towards an integration of psychoanalytic and other perspectives. J Organ change Manage 14 (5): 435–451.
Banks D (2006). Audience Response Systems in Higher Education. Idea Group Publishing: Hershey.
Bennet A and Tomblin MS (2006). A learning network framework for modern organisations. J Inform Knowl Manage Syst 36 (3): 289–303.
Coopey J (1995). The learning organisation, power, politics and ideology introduction. Manage Learn 26 (2): 193–213.
Coopey J and Burgoyne J (2000). Politics and learning. In: Easterby-Smith M, Araujo L and Burgoyne J (eds). Organisational Learning: 3rd International Conference. Vol. 1. Lancaster University: Lancaster, pp 275–298.
Coutu D (2002). The Anxiety of Learning: The HBR Interview with Edgar Schein. Harvard Business Review 80 (3): 100–106.
Dixon NM (1999). The Organisational Learning Cycle, How We Can Learn Collectively. Gower: London.
Eden C and Ackermann F (1996). ‘Horses for courses’: A stakeholder approach to the evaluation of GDSSs. Group Decis Negot 5: 501–519.
Elkjaer B (1999). In search of a social learning theory. In: Easterby-Smith M, Burgoyne J and Araujo L (eds). Organizational Learning and the Learning Organisation. Sage: London.
Elkjaer B (2003). Social learning theory: Learning as participation in social processes. In: Easterby-Smith M and Lyles M (eds). The Blackwell Handbook of Organisational Learning and Knowledge Management. Blackwell Publishers: Malden, MA and Oxford, UK, pp 38–53.
Fineman S (2003). Understanding Emotion at Work. Sage: London.
Finlay PN (1998). On evaluating the performance of GSS: Furthering the debate. Eur J Opl Res 107: 193–201.
Fjermestad J (2004). An analysis of communication mode in group support systems research. Decis Support Syst 37 (2): 230–263.
Fjermestad J and Hiltz S (1999). An assessment of group support systems experimental research: Methodology and results. J Manage Inform Syst 15: 7–149.
Fjermestad J and Hiltz SR (2001). Group support systems: A descriptive evaluation of case and field studies. J Manage Inform Syst 17 (3): 115–159.
Foucault M (1979). Discipline and Punishment: The Birth of the Prison. Penguin: Harmondsworth.
Gear AE and Read MJ (1993). On-line group process support. Omega 21: 261–274.
Gherardi S (2003). Knowing as desiring: Mythical knowledge and the knowledge journey in communities of practitioners. Paper presented to the fifth international conference on ‘Organisational Learning and Knowledge’, Lancaster University, May/June.
Gherardi S and Nicolini D (2002). Learning in a constellation of interconnected practices: Canon or dissonance? J Manage Studies 39: 419–436.
Groves S, Gear A and Read M (2006). Learning and anxiety: Exploring individual judgement processes in a learning environment with a group support system. In: Banks D (ed). Audience Response Systems. Idea Group Publishing: Hershey.
Hardless C, Lindgren R and Schultze U (2007). Technology-mediated learning systems for project work. Scand J Inform Syst 19 (2): 3–36.
Hasan H and Crawford K (2007). Knowledge mobilization in communities through socio-technical systems. Knowl Manage Res Pract 5: 237–247.
Higgins D (2009). Engaging the small firm in learning: practice based theorizing on complex social knowledge. J Eur Ind Train 33 (1): 81–96.
Holman D, Pavlica K and Thorpe R (1996). Rethinking Kolb's theory of experiential learning: The contribution of social construction and activity theory. Manage Learn 4 (24): 485–504.
Jensen PJ and Kolb DA (2002). Conversation as communion: Spiritual, feminist, moral and natural perspectives. In: Baker AC, Jensen PJ and Kolb DA (eds). Conversational Learning An Experiential approach to Knowledge Creation. Chapter 2, Quorum Books: London.
Jones C, Connolly M, Gear A and Read M (2006). Collaborative learning with group interactive technology: A case study with postgraduate students. Manage Learn 37 (3): 1350–5076.
Klein E (2002). Anonymity in group support systems: Philosophical and ethical issues. Proceedings of International Conference: Managing Information Technology in a Global Environment, Idea Group Publishing, held in Toronto.
Lave J and Wenger E (1991). Situated Learning. Legitimate peripheral participation. University of Cambridge Press: Cambridge.
Lin C, Liu A, Hsu M and Wu J (2007). Pursuing excellence in firm core knowledge through intelligent group decision support system. Ind Manage Data Syst 108 (3): 277–296.
Lipshitz R and Popper M (2000). Organisational learning in a hospital. J Appl Behav Sci 36 (3): 345–361.
March JG (1996). Exploration and exploitation in organisational learning. In: Cohen MD and Sproull LS (eds). Organisational Learning. Sage: Thousand Oaks, CA, pp 101–123.
Moscovici S and Doise W (1994). Conflict and Consensus: A General Theory of Collective Decisions. Sage: London.
Nunamaker JF Jr., Briggs RO, Mittleman DD, Vogel DR and Balthazard PA (1997). Lessons from a dozen years of group support systems research: A discussion of lab and field findings. J Manage Inform Syst 13 (3): 163–207.
Pervan GP (1998). A review of research in group support systems: Leaders, approaches and directions. Decis Support Syst 23: 149–159.
Read M and Gear T (2007). Developing professional judgement with the aid of a ‘low profile’ group support system. J Opl Res Soc 58: 1021–1029.
Read M, Gear T and Townend D (2000a). Development of an approach to the validation of client assessment models in social services using a group process support system. Public Manage 2 (2): 251–262.
Read M, Edwards J and Gear A (2000b). Group preference aggregation rules: The results of a comparative analysis with in situ data. J Oper Res Soc 51: 557–563.
Read M, Gear T and Devold R (2004). An experimental introduction of group process support in social services. Eur J Oper Res 156: 456–446.
Schiffrin H, Edelman A, Falkensten M and Stewart C (2010). The associations among computer-mediated communication, relationships, and well-being. CyberPsychol Behav Soc Network 13 (3): 299–306.
Shaw DC, Eden C and Ackermann D (2002). Evaluating group support systems: Improving brainstorming research methodology. Working Paper Series, University of Strathclyde, Paper No. 2002−2006.
Stevens CA and Finlay PN (1996). A research framework for group support systems. Group Decis Negot 5 (4–6): 521–543.
Swart J and Kinnie N (2010). Organisational learning, knowledge assets and HR practices in professional service firms. Hum Resource Manage J 20 (1): 64–79.
Turner D, Gear T and Read M (2009). Conversations’ in education, professional judgement and training. Philos Manage 8 (1): 55–65.
Van der Heijden K (1996). Scenarios—The Art of Strategic Conversation. John Wiley: Chichester.
Vince R (2001). Power and emotion in organisational learning. Hum Relat 54 (10): 1325–1351.
Vince R (2002). Organizing reflection. Manage Learn 33 (1): 63–78.
Vince R (2004). Rethinking Strategic Learning. Routledge: London.
Vince R and Reynolds M (2007). Introduction to Experiential Learning and Management Education: Key Themes and Future Directions. OUP: Oxford.
Vince R, Gear AE, Read M and Minkes AL (2003). Group enquiry for collective learning in organisations. J Manage Dev 22: 88–102.
Wenger E (1998). Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning and Identity. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.
White L (2006). Evaluating problem-structuring methods: Developing an approach to show the value and effectiveness of PSMs. J Oper Res Soc 57: 842–855.
Wilson M, Goodman PR and Cronin M (2007). Group learning. Acad Manage Rev 32 (4): 1041–1059.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Read, M., Gear, T. & Vince, R. Group inquiry to aid organisational learning in enterprises. J Oper Res Soc 63, 736–747 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1057/jors.2011.80
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/jors.2011.80