Organisational learning

Purpose The understanding of organisations has changed fundamentally from seeing them as concrete entities to viewing them as communities of meaning. Mature adults in healthcare learn best when addressing pressing problems in company of their peers. Healthcare is unlike other sectors because of the emotional labour which is part of the experience of clinical staff. Absorptive capacity offers a conceptual model for viewing organisational learning and the encouragement of systemic eloquence can be enabled through a variety of approaches, provided they are designed and delivered as part of a well-thought-through approach to developing local absorptive capacity. Design/methodology/approach This is a viewpoint paper. Findings Healthcare differs from other sectors. Organisational learning can be enabled by a range of approaches, but these need to be sensitive to local circumstances. Originality/value The paper asserts that healthcare is unlike other sectors because of emotional labour on the part of clinical staff. It maintains that organisations are communities of meaning, rather than concrete entities. Systemic eloquence can be enhanced by the concept of absorptive capacity, applied in local contexts.