Promoting a culture of learning and institutionalising a learning organisation in the South African public sector

The challenge facing managers in the South African public sector is to promote a culture of continuous learning if they want their diverse employees to succeed in reaching their full potential and thereby enhance organisational effectiveness. This requires a systematic, multi-level approach to institutionalise an infrastructure for creating a learning organisation. Understanding the notion of the learning organisation provides managers and other stakeholders in the public sector with the skills to develop best practices and to sustain the learning process. This article addresses some effective mechanisms and strategies to institutionalise a learning organisation. Various and debates on what constitutes a learning organisation are presented. The concept of a learning organisation is contextualised within an integrated and systematic framework. It is significant that a multi-level approach is required to create a learning organisation. The fundamental role of some of the building blocks required for the institutionalising of a learning organisation, are highlighted. In addition, the value of an integrative relationship between the employee, employer and the various components of the organisation is described. The role of the manager in communicating and developing a culture of learning is emphasised.