The institutionalization of defensive routines: a study of learning deficiencies at a language school

Abstract

This study concerns the theme educational deficiencies in organizations. The study was conducted at a language school, considered to be a market leader in it's segment, and region. A qualitative approach was chosen for the field research. For the case study, informally structured interviews were combined with unstructured observations of articles by the autor with informal encounters/meetings at the entity under study. The five participants in the study were managerial and supervisory positions. Models developed by Shaw and Perkins (1993) and Senge (1990), that refer to the deficiencies of organizational learning, were utilized as refrences for the preparation of the data collection tool, as well as to guide organization of the data collected into thematic categories. The main barriers to organizational learning identified by the study were the following: lack of space for free expression, restriction to experimentation with new approaches, deficient organizational communication, distance between discourse and practice, and insensivity to the perception of gradual and subtle changes in the external environment. The study concluded that if the educational deficiences identified were romoved or at least minimized, the organizational performance could be significantly improved.