Third Generation Mobilizing System

"Organizational Learning occurs when groups of people give the same response to different stimuli." Weick

Do you know why the firemen can arrive to the fire alarm in a short period?
After visiting the Third Generation Mobilizing System (TGMS) in the Hong Kong Fire Services Department(HKFSD), I know why and this also relate to an organizational learning.

What is TGMS?
Third Generation Mobilizing System (TGMS) is the new system includes a lot of advanced technologies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of call-taking and resource dispatching. There are a total of 21 subsystems in TGMS.
For examples:
-Geographic Information System (GIS)
-Computerized Mobilizing System (CMS)
-Automatic Vehicle Location System (AVLS)
-Master Time Generation System(MTGS)
-Map Matching
Common Goal--Shortest TIME
The TGMS can help the HKFSD meet the target performance pledge which building fire call includes 0-1min is the activation time and 1-5mins arriving the fire alarm site from leaving the fire bureau.

It aslo adopts an open platform design with graphic working environment that can let staff control more easily and convenient. So the people who work in HKFSD(includes the firemen, headquarters) can give the same response (eg. despatch the fire engines, call talking) by using the TGMS to different stimuli such as the outbreak of fire, traffic accident, first aid etc in order to use the limited time and resources to achieving the target performance pledge. The TGMS can help the HKFSD deal with the organizational learning to ensure every worker gives the same response.

We can see the TGMS is as an important role to coordinate the workers, fire engines, ambulances etc. in different locations. If the workers cannot give the same response to the TGMS, how HKFSD can meet the common goal?

ＬＥＡＲＮ－ＵＮＬＥＡＲＮ－ＲＥＬＥＡＲＮ

“The illiterates of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn” Alvin Toffler

“The future belongs to those who are willing to learn, unlearn and relearn.” Alfred Toffler

This is my first time that studying the history of Learn-Unlearn-Relearn (L-U-R). I surprised that its history is so long ( before 1980s) and it had different perspectives in learning, unlearning and relearning from 1980 to 2000.

During the lesson, Marcus asked us: " In L-U-R, which one is the most important for the success of an organization?"
I could not answer this question since I quite confused in L-U-R. And I heard someone answered that relearn is the most important one. And this make me think about it thoroughly.

In my opinion, L-U-R should be a cycle that makes the organization's success, that means no one of them is the most important one. The three elements are the important processes for the success of an organization. But I think the organization achieve the process in different levels.

Step 1: Learn (Easiest)
Step 2:Unlearn ( Middle)
Step 3:Relearn ( Most Difficult)

Step 1: Learn
Since learning is the basic one, and it means learning the new things or somethings that you don't know before. And if the organization don't learn or derive the new things, it have no things for unlearn and relearn.

Step2: Unlearn
After learning and learning something, the organization may have the unlearn process. Unlearn means that putting something learned out of the mind or put aside certain knowledge as being false or binding.When organization learned some skills , then it forget them or tried to unlearn them.

Step3: Relearn
After unlearning, the organization forgot or neglected somethings that may be important for success. So it should relearn somethings that mean learning again. And continue to look from every perspective and change the knowledge base on environment.

So L-U-R can occur in the organization at any time if it keep learning and searching for other options that might be even better or learning a new knowledge. In order to success, the organization not only keep learning, but also it must be willing to forget how it has always done it and be willing to do it another way.

References:
http://sivers.org/learn-unlearn-and-relearn (Last visit:15 Feb,09)
http://webpages.charter.net/soaringe/pointsv24.html (Last visit: 15Feb,09)

Learning at Individual Level

Organizational learning is not the sum of all people what they learn, but learning at individual level as the foundation of organizational learning.

Two individual levels of learning : Operational and Conceptual

In my mind, I think that when I learned some skills in the past such as cooking, playing badminton, calculating a mathematics question, i usually started at an operational learning. First, I just acquired the skill in step by step or know-how to produce or react the physical action. After knowing how to produce the skill, if I was interested in it, I would ask and found the reasons of the skill. If no, I just remembered it, but I wouldn't understand why the skill should be done in this way, not that way.

Example: My past experience -- learning how to play the badminton
When I studied in secondary school, I was interested in playing badminton and I am a member in badminton team. At the beginning, my coach taught me how to play the badminton in a right gesture. This is an operational level of learning, since I just know how to produce the physical motion, but I don't understand why I need to do in this way. For example, he taught me how to hit the how to hit a high, deep serve in Badminton in step by step. The steps are shown as follows: (video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQQ_CA1r6Ds ) last visit: 8 Feb 2009




If you were me, after you learned the steps of hitting the badminton, will you ask any question?
For me, I asked my coach: "Can I hit the badminton overhead serve?"

This question was in the conceptual level, since I acquisited the reason why hitting the serve should be done in this way, not another way (hitting overhead).

My coach answered my question: "No, since hitting the serve in badminton should be under your waist. If you hit the serve overhead, you are cautioned for a foul."

Moreover, playing badminton is also a learning cycle, as I try to learn how to hit the serve in the right gesture first. There will have some errors such as playing it wrongly, my coach will give me advice to change my gesture and demonstrate the correct gesture for me. After I observed and practice it in many times, I can generalize to play it in the right gesture and steps.


Reference:
Picture http://westlake.k12.oh.us/hilliard/whspe/badminton/badminton_court.htm (last visit: 8 Feb 2009)

The world seems to be changing faster and faster—from the technologies available to us. The field of organizational learning explores ways to design organizations so that they fulfill their function effectively, encourage people to reach their full potential, and, at the same time, help the world to be a better place. Any organizational change begins with individual change, and any change requires learning. This makes individual learning the foundation of any organizational change. Personal learning may be a necessary condition for organizational change, but it is not sufficient; there must also be a degree of collaborative learning as well.

"In the business community, learning is much more than just a way to create the future you want; in today's fast-paced, highly competitive work world, it may actually give your organization the edge it needs to survive—and thereby keep fulfilling its purpose." Peter Senge

Nowadays, one of the paradigm shift is changing from Machine/Industrial Era to Technology/ Information Era. Most of the organizations operate automated and customized by using the technology. The PTC system(S) Pte Ltd. has agreed to sell and support 3PAR Utility Storage systems to enterprise customers in Southeast Asia. This system has lots of function that can help the enterprises penetrate regional markets quickly and effectively. Please see the news: http://hk.news.yahoo.com/article/081223/10/9vfp.html

Another example is China's Largest E-commerce Company, Alibaba.com, selects NICE Systems for its VoIP contact centers. business enterprises mainly focus on the customers base instead of worker base. This company change the system because the NICE solution will provide Alibaba.com with a comprehensive quality management solution for improving customer service agent performance, training effectiveness, and customer satisfaction. This can show that Alibaba.com has the organizational prioities: Customers rather than workers. Please see the news: http://hk.news.yahoo.com/article/090121/10/abl5.html

Greeting

Hello!! I'm Molly!
This is my blog about my reflection on Organizational Learning(OL)!
Let's start to share with others now!!