A Mathematical Model for Optimizing Organizational Learning Capability

Table 1

Items composing the OLC scale.

Dimension	𝑘^′ measurement item	Literature source
Risk taking	People are encouraged to take risks in this organization.	Amabile [55]
	People here often venture into unknown territory.	Isaksen et al. [56]
Interaction with the external environment	It is part of the work of all staff to collect, bring back, and report information about what is going on outside the company.	Pedler et al. [9]
	There are systems and procedures for receiving, collating, and sharing information from outside the company.	Pedler et al. [9]
	People are encouraged to interact with the environment: competitors, customers, technological institutes, universities, suppliers, and so forth.	Pedler et al. [9]
Dialogue	Employees are encouraged to communicate.	Templeton et al. [3]
	There is a free and open communication within my work group.	Amabile [55]
	Managers facilitate communication.	Pedler et al. [9]
	Cross-functional teamwork is a common practice here.	Tomas et al. [2]
Participative decision making	Managers in this organization frequently involve employees in important decisions.	Goh and Richards [1]
	Policies are significantly influenced by the view of employees.	Pedler et al. [9]
	People feel involved in main company decisions.	Pedler et al. [9]
Teamwork and group problem solving	Current approach of the organization encourages personnel to solve the problems cooperatively, before discussing them with managers.	Goh and Richards [1]
	We often cannot form unofficial groups to solve the problems of the organization.	Goh and Richards [1]
	Majority of problem solving groups are members of different operational environments.	Goh and Richards [1]
Demonstration of mission and goals	There is widespread support and acceptance of the; organization's mission statement.	Goh and Richards [1]
	I do not understand how the mission of the organization is to be achieved (r).	Goh and Richards [1]
	The organization's mission statement identifies values to which all employees must conform.	Goh and Richards [1]
	We have opportunities for self-assessment with respect to goal attainment.	Goh and Richards [1]
Managerial commitment	The managers frequently involve their staff in important decision making processes.	Jerez-Gómez et al. [12]
	Employee learning is considered more of an expense than an investment.
	The firm’s management looks favorably on carrying out changes in any area to adapt to and/or keep ahead of new environmental situations.
	Employee learning capability is considered a key factor in this firm.
	In this firm, innovative ideas that work are rewarded.
Systems perspective	All employees have generalized knowledge regarding this firm’s objectives.	Jerez-Gómez et al. [12]
	All parts that make up this firm (departments, sections, work teams, and individuals) are well aware of how they contribute to achieving the overall objectives.
	All parts that make up this firm are interconnected, working together in a coordinated fashion.
Openness and experimentation	This firm promotes experimentation and innovation as a way of improving the work processes.	Jerez-Gómez et al. [12]
	This firm follows up what other firms in the sector are doing, adopting those practices and techniques it believes to be useful and interesting.
	Experiences and ideas provided by external sources (advisors, customers, training firms, etc.) are considered a useful instrument for this firm’s learning.
	Part of this firm’s culture is that employees can express their opinions and make suggestions regarding the procedures and methods in place for carrying out tasks.
Knowledge transfer and integration	Errors and failures are always discussed and analyzed in this firm, on all levels.	Jerez-Gómez et al. [12]
	Employees have the chance to talk among themselves about new ideas, programs, and activities that might be of use to the firm.
	In this firm, teamwork is not the usual way to work.
	The firm has instruments (manuals, databases, files, organizational routines, etc.) that allow what has been learnt in past situations to remain valid, although the employees are no longer the same.