The use of ICT in organizational learning practices: A mixed methods study in a Portuguese organization

Abstract

Advanced economies, also known as knowledge-based economies, rely their performance on high skilled workers and quick access to information and knowledge, allowing organizations to react to a competitive, rapidly changing and global environment. Innovation is recognized as a crucial factor for survival, driving the development of new or improved products, services, processes or marketing strategies. Innovation seems to be closely related to organizational learning through which new knowledge is developed, distributed and used. Several proposals consider organizational learning capability in a multidimensional perspective. Based on these proposals, five dimensions were identified as main driving influences to innovation: idea generation; market and technology surveillance; problem solving; dialogue and knowledge transfer; training and competence development. Recent developments on information and communication technologies (ICT), especially web 2.0 social tools, allow workers a more participatory attitude and control on their learning, promoting collaboration and cooperation between teams and networks. It is important that organizations understand how the use of ICT and web 2.0 may improve the organizational learning capability. This study aims at understanding how a Portuguese innovative large company uses ICT and web 2.0 tools to enhance learning practices in order to support the discussion of an answer to the driving research question: how are ICT tools being used to promote organizational learning in innovative organizations?. The paper describes relevant theoretical aspects on organizational learning, provides an overview of the use of ICT and web 2.0 tools supporting learning, briefly presents the analysis model and the research methodology using mixed methods, and provides a discussion of preliminary results showing that ICT is proving to promote an effective basis for organizational learning. For each learning practice both organizational and workers perceptions are being studied focusing on: learning activities; supporting ICT tools; understood impact of these practices for the organization and for workers as learners.