A Comparative Study of Learning Organization Characteristics among Thai Public, Private, and State Enterprise Organizations

Abstract

Learning organization is a buzzword that has multidimensional aspects. This study is intended to examine construct validation oflearning organization concepts proposed by Garvin, Edmondson, and Gino (2008) among Thai public, private, and state enterprise organizations. The measure consists of three major dimensions: promoting supportive learning environment within organizations, establishing concrete learning practices and processes, and leadership that supports learning climate. Research questions are posed on to what extent different organization sector, business nature, and its size as well as their interaction effects plays roles in establishing the learning organization. A number of 600 respondents working for Thai public, private, and state enterprises was purposely asked to respond to the measure.

Organization-level MANCOVA analyses revealed that private organizations exhibit significant greater extent of activities across three learning organization dimensions especially on aspects ofpsychological safety, education and training, and knowledge transfer (F= 5.37, p < .01; F = 3.11, p < .05; F = 3.95, p < .05, respectively). Leaders in finance and banking sector tend to considerably promote supportive learning climate and environment. The present study also finds that employees in organizations related to production, construction, and real estate exhibit a higher level of concrete learning practices and reflection on work processes. In addition, a number ofemployees within organizations is related to its analytical thinking. There are no statistically significant interaction effects among independent variables such as organization sectors, nature of business, and employee numbers and characteristics of learning organizations in the given sample groups.

Finally, this study provides recommendations in concrete activities for public and state enterprises on how to establish psychological safety environment as a fundamental ground for creating learning organization. Developing leadership competencies in support of establishing the learning organization is also discussed.