Managing Organizational Learning in a Retailing Company

This case study examines organizational learning (OL) in a situation where the management systems of a retailing organization undergo a significant change. The aim of the current paper is first to increase understanding of the need for OL in improving the competitiveness of an organization. Secondly, the focus of the study is in examining the role of trust and the significance of structural and relational dimensions in OL. In order to investigate how to manage OL, the theoretical framework draws on previous studies of OL and organizational trust. Along with the prior literature combining organizational change and learning, essential concepts of the organizational trust literature are utilized to deepen our understanding concerning the collective learning process in the case organization. A qualitative case study research approach is adopted as the interpretative approach seeks descriptions of the phenomena studied and focus on the perceptions of actors in their own, real-life contexts. The data consists of interviews and written documents of supervisors in a highly valued listed retailing company in Finland. The participants represent different levels of supervisor and manager positions in operative middle management. A thematic content analysis is employed in analyzing the data. The findings reveal the role of clear management system in managing change through organizational learning. Moreover, findings support the idea of a management system an effective tool kit for knowledge management and OL. Findings indicate that transparency in management is one of the most significant attributes enhancing the collective learning process. Precisely, common goals (consistency), cooperation (defined procedures) and communication (feedback) are the drivers of OL and change management. The study offers new, empirically grounded insights into trust building and the complex relationship between trust and control in OL.