Organizational Learning and Performance: The Science and Practice of Building a Learning Culture

In Organizational Learning and Performance: The Science and Practice of Building a Learning Culture, Ryan Smerek combines organizational examples with insights from research, to provide readers with a unique and distinctive lens to improve personal and organizational performance. The first section of the book provides an overview of what it means to learn as an individual and how individuals vary in their openness to learn. Drawing from cognitive and personality psychology, thinking dispositions such as a growth mindset, curiosity, and intellectual humility are explored and how they help foster learning in organizations. In the second section, Smerek describes the principles of a learning culture, providing a look into the world's largest hedge fund, a renowned food company, a highly-regarded children's hospital, and a preeminent innovation and design firm. Through these examples, readers will come to understand the social norms that increase learning. These include a commitment to transparency of thinking and the pursuit of truth, "Big Picture thinking," a willingness to learn from failure, and the social norms needed to foster innovation and creativity. Throughout the book, Smerek draws from compelling examples of organizations and research in the social sciences to demonstrate what it means to build a learning culture -- and how it can improve personal and organizational performance.

About the Author

Ryan E. Smerek is an Assistant Professor and Assistant Director of Academic Affairs in the Master's of Science in Learning and Organizational Change program at Northwestern University. Over the last decade, in addition to organizational learning, Ryan has researched, taught, and published in the areas of learning and new executives, decision-making, innovation, and organizational culture. In these areas, Ryan applies research to promote insight and action. Before coming to Northwestern University, Ryan taught organizational behavior as an Assistant Professor at Hiram College. He also worked at Denison Consulting - a culture and leadership assessment firm. He received a B.A. from Dartmouth College, an Ed.M. from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. For additional publications visit ryansmerek.com.