Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa experience one of the highest failure
rates in the world with 75% to 80% of SMEs failing in their first ten years. This data suggests
that few small organisations in South Africa are sustainable entities and this in turn impacts
on employment and the GDP of South Africa.
In order to be sustainable, organisations should be learning ones (Garvin, 1993; Marquardt in
Hattingh & Smit, 2004, p2). Senge’s (1990) ground-breaking model of a learning
organisation identifies the disciplines companies should practice in order to contribute to their
sustainability. This model, previously researched in large global companies, is used as the
basis of researching a small company in a local, South African context. This study explores
whether by being a learning organisation, a small company is able to sustain itself.
Senge’s concept of a learning organisation includes five disciplines. These disciplines have
adult and workplace learning theories embedded in them. The study attempted to identify
whether the small company drew on these learning theories in day-to-day operations and
practise, and if this contributed to its development as a learning organisation.
In addition to learning theories, literature reviewed included factors that impact on small
business sustainability in the South African context. The study reveals an interesting blend of
a business management concept (“the learning organisation”) with adult education principles
that give insight into developing a small company as a learning organisation.
A qualitative, ethnographic case study approach was used for this study, using an interactive
model to accommodate the dynamic nature of the workplace with its variety of events and
activities. Data collection took place during two intensive research periods in 2008 and 2012,
in a single Johannesburg-based company. A multi-method approach was used and included
observations, document analysis, questionnaires, transect walks, auto-photography, focus
groups and interviews.
The study revealed that a small company can ensure its sustainability by being a learning
organisation, even though the company did not hold the same understanding of a learning
organisation that Senge (1990) did. By practising various adult and workplace learning
theories, especially the theory of communities of practice, a small company can develop the
disciplines of a learning organisation. Furthermore, organisations may practise the disciplines
of a learning organisation organically, without specific intent, and this may assist in their
sustainability.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/17758 |
| Date | 14 May 2015 |
| Creators | Hundermark, Genevieve |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf, application/pdf |
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