In the words of Reginald Revans, an expert on action learning (1983), “Learning inside must be equal to or greater than change occurring outside the organization or the organization dies.”
The landscape of twenty-first companies has now dramatically shifted from the stability of the twentieth century, to the constant and rapid change of today, that demands the skills of adaptation and agility as never before. In this dynamic environment, the ability to learn quickly and adapt effectively has never been more important to continued success. What worked in the past, simply will not work in a dynamic environment. Change is imperative.
We believe the necessary change is learning, which has been called by many, the new form of work. Learning in this sense is not learning as one simply acquires and gathers information. This is generative learning that is innovative, adaptive, and creative. It is a paradigm shift that must be embraced.
While profitability and product quality are still important to success, they are now intricately linked to an organization’s ability to learn and innovate in response to evolving market trends and demands. As such, learning has taken center stage when it comes to making profits, giving learning a critical role in maintaining competitiveness and relevance in today’s fast-paced business environment.