Becoming a Learning Organization (LO) is widely recognized as a process through which organizations can develop characteristics that enable them to be competitive in an increasingly competitive business environment. While there is an assumption that LOs have the ability to manage change, few empirical studies are available to prove whether an organization with strong LO characteristics also has a high level of change readiness. In developing itself into an LO, an organization seems to gain possession of relevant characteristics through knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing and knowledge utilization. There is, however, a lack of clarity on what LO characteristics are developed at each of the three stages. The relationship among these stages is also confusing. The purpose of this research is to confirm whether organizations with a high level of LO characteristics also have a high level of readiness-to-change. It also attempts to verify the relationship among the LO development stages of knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing and knowledge utilization. A questionnaire has been designed following an extensive review. It incorporates "an Inventory of LO Characteristics" to measure the level of LO characteristics formed in an organization. There are also questionnaire to gauge the level readiness-to-change. The questionnaire has been distributed to employees in two leading mobile phone service companies in Thailand. The industry is selected because of its changing business environment. Thailand has been chosen for as the location for the research because few studies in LO have been conducted outside the more developed economies. The findings demonstrate two major insights. Firstly, the correlation coefficient between the six categories of LO characteristics - cultural values, leadership commitment and empowerment, communication, knowledge transfer, employee characteristics and performance upgrading - and readiness-to-change confirms that if an organization has a high level of LO characteristics, it will also have a high level of readiness-to-change. Secondly, the correlation coefficient between the three LO development stages - of knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing and knowledge utilization - and readiness-to-change, support the hypothesis that they follow a sequential order. Results of the research are analysed and discussed, providing valuable contributions to both research and practice in the area. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Adelaide Graduate School of Business, 2004.

Becoming a Learning Organization (LO) is widely recognized as a process through which organizations can develop characteristics that enable them to be competitive in an increasingly competitive business environment. While there is an assumption that LOs have the ability to manage change, few empirical studies are available to prove whether an organization with strong LO characteristics also has a high level of change readiness. In developing itself into an LO, an organization seems to gain possession of relevant characteristics through knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing and knowledge utilization. There is, however, a lack of clarity on what LO characteristics are developed at each of the three stages. The relationship among these stages is also confusing. The purpose of this research is to confirm whether organizations with a high level of LO characteristics also have a high level of readiness-to-change. It also attempts to verify the relationship among the LO development stages of knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing and knowledge utilization. A questionnaire has been designed following an extensive review. It incorporates "an Inventory of LO Characteristics" to measure the level of LO characteristics formed in an organization. There are also questionnaire to gauge the level readiness-to-change. The questionnaire has been distributed to employees in two leading mobile phone service companies in Thailand. The industry is selected because of its changing business environment. Thailand has been chosen for as the location for the research because few studies in LO have been conducted outside the more developed economies. The findings demonstrate two major insights. Firstly, the correlation coefficient between the six categories of LO characteristics - cultural values, leadership commitment and empowerment, communication, knowledge transfer, employee characteristics and performance upgrading - and readiness-to-change confirms that if an organization has a high level of LO characteristics, it will also have a high level of readiness-to-change. Secondly, the correlation coefficient between the three LO development stages - of knowledge acquisition, knowledge sharing and knowledge utilization - and readiness-to-change, support the hypothesis that they follow a sequential order. Results of the research are analysed and discussed, providing valuable contributions to both research and practice in the area. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Adelaide Graduate School of Business, 2004.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Queensland, 2003. / Includes bibliography.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (PhD) - Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship, Faculty of Business and Enterprise, Swinburne University of Technology, 2009. / A thesis is submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy, Faculty of Business and Enterprise, Swinburne University of Technology - 2009. Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (p. 225-238)

Sammanfattning Det vetenskapliga arbetet är en deltagande kvalitativ studie i en kambodjansk organisation, där jag i samverkan med chefer och medarbetare utvecklat och implementerat ett Human Resource Development (HRD). Syftet med studien är att beskriva, analysera och tolka utvecklingsarbetet i den kambodjanska organisationen utifrån empiri, teori och tidigare forskning inom kultur, interkultur, ledarskap, organisation, organisatoriskt lärande och förändring. Vidare är syftet att utforska, tolka och dra slutsatser om metoder och förhållningssätt som underlättar kulturmöten och organisations- och ledarutveckling med ett interkulturellt perspektiv. Med ett socialkonstruktionistiskt synsätt är organisationer och kulturer påverkbara. Det är möjligt att i samspel och med en interkulturell approach påverka en organisation och kultur, om hänsyn tas till den verklighet i kulturen som är bestående. Synsättet som styrt valet av metoder i HRD programmet har till stora delar varit framgångsrikt. En generell slutsats är att vald teori och tidigare forskning fungerat väl i beskrivningar, analys och tolkning av empirin Den nationella kulturen har stort inflytande på processer och relationer inom organisationen. Viktig kompetens vid utvecklingsarbete i kollektivistiska kulturer som Kambodja är förmågan att bygga relationer och skapa förtroende, liksom interkulturell kompetens, som handlar öppenhet, kommunikationsförmåga och att kunna växla och utveckla nya perspektiv. Att möta chefer i den kambodjanska organisationen utifrån ett gemensamt meningssystem, som teorier och forskning inom området ledarskaps- och organisationsutveckling, har varit en framgångsfaktor. Metoder för lärande ska ha en balans mellan etablerad och ny kunskap, för att inte bli ett hot mot rådande maktstrukturer. En process- och utvecklingsinriktad lärandepedagogik har fungerat väl. Det har gått förvånansvärt bra att föra in modeller influerade av den svenska demokratiska arbetskulturen, som karakteriseras av delaktighet, processer och förankring för att uppnå konsensus i beslut. Det har varit en balansgång att bedriva utvecklingsarbetet inom ramen för existerande institutioner. Den tröghet och tidskrävande byråkrati i den kambodjanska organisationen, som är uppbyggd i en gammal struktur i den kambodjanska statsförvaltningen, har varit det största hindret i utvecklingsarbetet. Studien har gett mig fördjupade teoretiska kunskaper, men framför allt insikten om att de metoder jag använder i min dagliga praxis som organisationskonsult har stöd i teorin. / Abstract The thesis is a participatory qualitative study in a Cambodian Organization, where I in interaction with managers developed and implemented a Human Resource Development (HRD) program. The purpose of the study is to describe, interpret and analyze the development work based on empirical data, theory and previous research in culture, inter-cultural, leadership, organization theory, organizational learning and change. An additional purpose is to explore, interpret and draw conclusions about the methods and approaches that facilitate intercultural meetings, organizational- and leadership development with an intercultural perspective. With a social constructionist perspective and an intercultural approach in mutual interaction, it is possible to influence an organization and culture, when taking into account the reality of the culture which is composed. The national culture and an old hierarchical structure have great influence on the processes and relationships within the organization. Skills to build relationships and trust are required in development work in a collectivist culture as Cambodia and also intercultural competence, which embraces openness, communication skills and ability to switch and develop new perspectives. Shared systems of meaning, like theories and research in the field of leadership and organizational development and methods for learning that have a balance between established and new knowledge are important, not being a threat to existing power structures.