ORCID ID

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1409-076X

Date Awarded

2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Department

Education

Advisor

Pamela Eddy

Committee Member

Pamela Eddy

Committee Member

Leslie Grant

Committee Member

Karen Locke

Abstract

Organizational learning has been studied and researched as a construct for organizational improvement. Although its definitions are varied, scholars continue to integrate its use through various disciplinary approaches. It has been studied at the organizational level, but not as much research has taken place at the individual level where day-to-day activities and tasks of the university take place. The goal of this study was therefore to understand the organizational learning processes individuals use in their day-to-day work. This phenomenological study sought to understand the specific activities or tasks individuals perform to acquire, share, and use knowledge throughout the organization. The research question that guided the study was, how do university administrative staff learn how to do their jobs? To answer this question, I generated data from 10 administrative staff by conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews. Their collective experience revealed that they learn how to do their jobs primarily by trial and error. Additionally, they learn through informal networks they have developed with colleagues in similar roles. Use of prior work experience to inform their new roles and access different types of training to acquire new skills. In summary, these findings offer strong support for this study’s organizational learning and workplace learning conceptual framework. The study also fills a gap in the literature on organizational learning among university staff that offers policy makers, institutional leadership, and management and educational researcher’s insight into how knowledge is acquired, shared, and used among university staff.

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.25774/w4-01n2-em68

Rights

© The Author

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