Evaluating of leadership in the information society by the way of conversion of enterprises into learning organizations "sample of arkas"

Knowledge has become a strategic resource in today's transition to the information age and the companies using it effectively have gained competitive advantage. The existence of a period leading to organizational learning from the individual one to ensure effective usage of information and at this context, a learning organization concept has taken front stage. The rapid process of change and varying requirements from the individuals and the communities have led to the emergence of the learning organization as a concept which forms an unifying approach of the management thought processes. Learning organizations have the capacity for changing, improving, and transforming in order to respond to the requirements, desires, and expectations of the people inside or outside the organization. In a rapidly changing uncertain future, strategic transformation is required for competitive advantage. Strategic leadership is gaining importance in the course of achieving this transformation. In our study, we have aimed to evaluate the effective, directive, and leading role of strategic leadership and the necessity of the transformation to learning organizations in the transition period to information community using an original example. Starting with this concept, a study consisting of three phases has been conducted with Arkas Holding, a leader in the maritime sector. During this process, to start with, applicability capacity of Arkas Holding to this model has been evaluated in terms of the Learning Organization Model with an empirical research. In addition, using archive searches and evaluation of the leader's opinions, relationship of learning organization and strategic leadership concepts has been analyzed using common criteria.