Criteria for "Learning Organization" LO29669

From: Alfred Rheeder (alfred@pvm.co.za)
Date: 12/06/02


Replying to LO29630 --

Mark wrote:

> Next, the 'knowledge is the capacity for effective action' claim is well
> known in the field of OL, one which I regularly and emphatically disagree
> with. While it does offer the 'halo effect' of sounding good, it doesn't
> stand up to testing -- in my view. Why? Because effective action calls
> for more than just knowledge. It also calls for the means, the will, and
> the power to TAKE effective action. Moreover, while all of these things
> in combination with one another may support and enable effective action,
> they are not the SAME AS effective action. Action is behavior.
> Knowledge is not. Nor is power, will, or means. And so I feel this
> popular definition of knowledge has been wrong all along and ultimately
> does us all a disservice if by using it we purport to have insight that
> is actionable and valuable to us in practice.
>
> So on this point, I might say in sum that 'knowledge contributes to our
> ability to take effective action, but it is not the same as effective
> action, nor is it the only variable that contributes to it. It is
> necessary but insufficient for effective action.

>As always, thanks for listening to what I have to say!

Good Day Mark,

Without otherness in beliefs, opinions etc. I would not have participated
in the LO dialog, it would have been meaningless.

In short I believe we cannot say too much objectively about the knowledge
of a person (which dwells within). We cannot quantify knowledge which
dwells within a person. The knowledge that "counts" is knowledge of Life
and not of a subject or subjects.

We can however observe behavior based on stimuli - information received
from the environment. Even this is often misleading especially when a
person decides not to act. What then? Non - action is also behavior.
Should we observe non-action what conclusion can we reach about the
persons knowledge, power to act, will to act and means to act act. It
would be erroneous to assume that in such a case a person does not have
sufficient knowledge necessary to act, or the power to act, or the will to
act, or the means to act, or any complex combination of the above. What
now?

Wisdom often entails the ability not to act.......

Regards

Alfred
Alfred@pvm.co.za

-- 

Alfred Rheeder <alfred@pvm.co.za>

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