Rethinking Strategic Learning

Rethinking Strategic Learning is a thought-provoking and scholarly book that examines learning as both a social and strategic process, invariably linked to emotions and politics that are mobilized by attempts at learning and organizing. It makes a substantial contribution to theories of organizational learning, as well as developing new ideas about critical reflection and collective leadership.

The author outlines a critical perspective on HRD, arguing that staff responsible for learning and change in organizations have put too much effort into the development of individuals and not enough into understanding organizational dynamics that shape individuals' opportunities and abilities to learn and change. HRD is explained as an intervention within a political system as well as a practice of management and leadership, with all the contradictions that attempting to manage and to lead are likely to reveal. This means that the focus of HRD is on action, on developing the capacity to act, on generating credibility through action, and on influencing and working with others in situations loaded with emotion and politics.

The opening chapters of the book develop ideas about strategic learning by using examples from organizations to explore the relationship between emotion and politics. The focus then shifts towards key issues concerning strategic learning in practice, including reflection and leadership.

Rethinking Strategic Learning will be essential reading for students and academics of Management and Organizational Studies, HRD and all those involved in attempts to implement learning and change in organizations.

Russ Vince is Professor of Organizational Learning at the Business School, University of Glamorgan, Wales, where he is Director of the Leadership and Learning Research Unit. He is editor-in-chief of the journal Management Learning and he serves on the international advisory boards of the journals Human Resource Development Intranational, Organizational and Social Dynamics and Action Learning: Research and Practice.