The premise of the DLN is that through the application of recent management research we can naturally engage the inherent commitment and creativity of staff. We can enhance profit, cost effectiveness, morale, customer service and innovation by creating a learning organisation.

However to achieve this goal we are likely to have to challenge our traditional paradigms of management. This is neither easy nor short term. There are no simple solutions.

Furthermore there is no one way of creating a learning organisation. Each organisation requires to plan out its own programme from the wide range of services that are available. This section has been written with the traditional perception that change should be led from the top and with a vision of outcomes. But we hear Peter Senge say that change often does not come from the top, also that we should move away from first teaching concepts then methods and onto considering the application of methods - such as systems diagrams and control charts - demonstrate their application - and then address the conceptual thinking. As they say there is no one way to apply modern management thinking.

From the paradigm that change can be planned we consider the elements of implementation as well as the 'change' journey.

The five stages of implemention - creating creating a learning organisation:

• Challenging our Thinking
  • Our actions are determined by our thinking. So how up to date is our thinking? Management research over the past decades is challenging the foundations of traditional management. It is developing new and more effective concepts. The need to appreciate these concepts of tomorrow.
• Hearts & Minds of Executives
  • The change process is likely to challenge existing paradigms of management. It is important, therefore, to have these types of challenges fully discussed and appreciated by  all levels of management, especially senior executives -  in advance of the implementation programme
•  Operational Systems
• The design of effective and robust systems, from a recognition that outcomes are predominately a function of the design of the system. The study of these systems to achieve high quality and low cost.
• Performance Measurement
  • In designing a Performance Management system the primary need is to appreciate and understand variation – which, in turn, requires a basic knowledge of statistics. The tool for representing and interpreting data is the control chart. It provides significantly more information than standard tabulated information.
• Designing learning systems
  • The design of a learning system that naturally engages the full commitment and creativity of staff. This system, supported by the above elements. is the driver for continual improvement and innovation

The DLN over a wide range of services in context of the above five stages. We provide a table to give an indication of the range of services, plus a brief description of each of the services.

To describe the actual transformation journey we use the classic five stages of change:

• Pre-awareness

  • Where we are not yet aware that there are more advanced approaches to those we are currently adopting which can improve our performance

• Awareness

  • Where we have become aware that our organisational structures have evolved out of theoretical assumptions. Furthermore there has been considerable research over the past decades and our theoretical assumptions may be out of date.

• Knowledge

  • The gaining of an understanding of modern concepts and how they might be applied

• Implementation

  • The implementation of modern concepts and methods. And the securing of significant improvement in terms of profit, cost effectiveness, morale, customer service and innovation - see implementation above.

• Maintenance

  • The continued maintenance and development of the change - improvement process. The development of a dynamic learning system

In context of the above five stages of change we provide examples of how organisations may use the range of services provided by the DLN.

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