Building a learning organization by using systems thinking and system dynamics

Together with developing and changing world, the environment where organizations live in is getting more complex. Organizations need transformation and knowledge to cope with all these developments and to continue their existence. Under this situation, learning and being a learning organization is getting important to realize this transformation and to get information and even to produce information. Furthermore, the concepts of systems thinking and system dynamics play an important role to build a learning organization. In this study, the basic concepts of learning organizations, the discipline of systems thinking as a new way of thinking, system dynamics as a graphical language for building a model of a system in a computer environment are examined. In computerized environment, a learning laboratory which is based on a case, is built. It is illustrated that how managers develop strategies, and learn from these strategies at the learning laboratory by system dynamics model. At the end of this study, it is understood that the discipline of systems thinking and system dynamics play an important role to lead the managers to build a learning organization. Also, it is understood that learning laboratories are one of the important tools for learning organizations. Managers find an opportunity to inquiry their ideas, and learn from each other in a discussion environment by developing strategies at the learning laboratory. In this respect, the learning laboratories helps managers as an effective tool, and managers can simulate the real world by using learning laboratories.