The learning organization: towards an integrated model

This article presents an integrated model of the learning organization. It is based on empirical research of the learning organization literature, as well as on practitioners’ understandings of the concept where learning organizations were often described in terms of four distinct individual aspects – no more and no less. This article argues these aspects cannot be treated as separate, and that the four aspects have to be combined in order to create a true learning organization. The four aspects are: learning at work; organizational learning; developing a learning climate; and creating learning structures. The article suggests that only those organizations that have implemented all of the aspects should be called “learning organizations”, and those organizations that have implemented only one aspect should be called “partial learning organizations”.