ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Original Research

Authors

Khodayi Matin   E. (*)
Kasraei   K. (1)






(*) Department of Management, Faculty of Human Sciences, Neyshabur Branch, Islamic Azad University, Neyshabur, Iran
(1) Department of Management, Faculty of Human Sciences, Gheshm Branch, Islamic Azad University, Gheshm Island, Iran

Correspondence

Address: No. 90, Toos 44, Toos Boulevard, Mashhad, Iran.
Phone: +985116653955
Fax: +985118683001
matin.esmail@gmail.com

Article History

Received:   October  10, 2012
Accepted:   February 25, 2013
ePublished:   June 7, 2013

ABSTRACT

Aims Nowadays, institutes of higher education encounter new challenges like any otherorganizations and require fundamental revisions and transformations in order to survive and adapt with the environment. Employing the Learning Organization’s characteristics can be considered as a solution to tackle the issue of environmental pressure in the universities. The present research was conducted aiming at investigating the Senge’s Learning Organization model at the Medical Faculty of Islamic Azad University of Mashhad.
Materials & Methods This descriptive study was conducted among the faculty members of Islamic Azad University of Mashhad during the academic year 2011-2012 and 97 subjects were randomly selected. The standard questionnaire tool for assessment was in the form of forty items of answering package which were designed on the basis of five-point Likert Scale consisting of personal proficiencies, mental models, shared visions, team learning and systemic thinking. The SPSS 17 software, single-sample T-test and variance analysis were applied to analyze the achieved data.
Findings The medical school of the Islamic Azad University of Mashhad is in an average level in terms of the learning organization’s characteristics (t=3.22; p=0.008; 3.01±0.65). The usage rate of personal proficiencies (p=0.019), group learning (p=0.05) and systemic thinking (p=0.001) were significant. There was no significant difference between the viewpoints of the faculty members with different degrees regarding the learning organization’s characteristics.
Conclusion The status of the medical school of the Islamic Azad University of Mashhad is not in a favorable level as learning organization.


CITATION LINKS

[1] Attafar A, Bahrami Samani M. The application of the learning organization’s indicators in public and Islamic Azad universities of Shahrekord. High Educ J. 2008;2(1):161-79. [Persian]
[2] Khodai Matin E, Hsanzaseh Kashani B. Comparing degree of readiness for implementation of knowledge management in public and private universities in Iran. Interdiscip J Contemp Res Bus. 2012;4(4):623-34.
[3] Sukirno DS, Siengthai S. Does participative decision making affect lecturer performance in higher education? Int J Educ Manag. 2011;25(5):494-508.
[4]Rossi R. The governance of university-industry knowledge transfer. Europ J Innov Manag. 2010;13(2):155- 71.
[5] Jamalzadeh M, Rahgozar H, Alavi F. A survey of Shiraz Islamic Azad university with regard to learning organization from the perspective of faculty members. Q J Approaches Educ. 2011;2(5):71-94. [Persian]
[6] Mousavi M, Khodai Matin E, Hassannezhad Kashani B, Mortazavi R, Sabagh P. Investigating the learning organization’s characteristics of distance education system in Iran. Interdiscip J Contemp Res Bus. 2012;4(5):834-44.
[7] Liao SH, Chang WJ, Wu CC. An integrated model for learning organization with strategic view: Benchmarking in the knowledge-intensive industry. Expert Syst Appl. 2010;37(5):3792-8.
[8] Kiedrowski PJ. Quantitative assessment of a Senge learning organization intervention .Learn Organ. 2006;13(4):369-83.
[9] Marquard M. Building the learning organization: A systems approach quantum improvement global success. New York: McGraw-Hill; 1996.
[10] Nafukho FM, Graham CM, Muyia MH. Determining the relationship among organizational learning dimensions of a small-size business enterprise. J Europ Ind Training. 2009;33(1):32-51.
[11] Sanga P. the Fifth command: The creation of prevalent organization. Hedayat H, Roshan M, translators. Tehran: The Organization of Industrial Administration; 1990. [Persian]
[12] Agaoglu E. The reflection of the learning organization concept to school of education. Turk Online J Distance Educ. 2006;7(1):132-48.
[13]Turkington M. The Catholic Education Office (CEO) Sydney as a learning organization and its perceived impact on standards [dissertation]. Australia: Australian Catholic University; 2004.
[14] Kelly DWA. Senges learning organization concepts applied to one vocational school faculty [dissertation]. Pennsylvania: Lmmaculata College; 2000.
[15] Ghadamgahi SM, Ahanchian MR. A survey on the quality of learning organization in Mashhad public schools based on Senge disciplines. Rev Q J Educ Innov. 2005;4(14):132-48. [Persian]
[16] Mehtari Arani M, Shahsavari M. A study on the level of certainty of the dimensions of learning organization of Isfahan education organization. Peyk-e-Noor J. 2010;7(4):117-28. [Persian]
[17] Mahmoud Zadeh M. The assessment of different provinces’ readiness to implement learning organization’s characteristics at their education system in Iran [dissertation]. Tehran: Tarbiyat Modarres University; 2005. [Persian]
[18] Arasteh HR, Enayati T. Evaluating the Islamic Azad Universities based on the characteristics of the learning organizations: case studies-Guilan and Mazandaran branches. Iranian J Higher Educ. 2010; 2(3):47-65. [Persian]