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Alternative organisational learning therapy: An empirical case study using behaviour and U theory

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Abstract

This paper draws on the concept and process of deeper learning, namely the U theory (Senge, Scharmer, Jaworski, & Flowers, 2004a). As a driver to get a deeper exploration of organisational change process, the theory of U goes beyond the interpersonal aspects of learning, instead focusing on a deeper personal generative learning that emphasizes seven capacities along the deep learning process. Corporations in Taiwan have been striving in a globalised world economy for market competitiveness through organisational learning and change and this study seeks to understand adult workers’ engagement with deep learing. Based on the theory of planned behaviour, the study investigated how personal backgrounds, attitude, perceived subject norm and perceived behavioural control affected adult workers’ intention of deeper learning using Pearson correlation and stepwise regression analysis. Data were collected from working adults (N=512) in a high tech company located in Taipei. Results showed that there was a significant positive correlation between the independent variables, namely adult workers’ attitudes, perceived social pressure, and behavioural control, and the dependent variables (i.e., the seven capacities within U theory). In addition, among three independent variables, subjective norm had the strongest predictive power on the successful diffusion of the U theory.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tamkang University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Li-An Ho

  2. Securities and Futures Institute, Taipei, Taiwan

    Tsung-Hsien Kuo

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  1. Li-An Ho
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  2. Tsung-Hsien Kuo
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Ho, LA., Kuo, TH. Alternative organisational learning therapy: An empirical case study using behaviour and U theory. Aust. Educ. Res. 36, 105–124 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03216908

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