INTRODUCTION
A learning organization is one which is continuously encourages employees and its members to learn. This report analyses the characteristics of a learning organization using Senge’s five disciplines. The report analyzes the company, 3M Company as a learning organization. 3M Company is an assorted company of technology and the products of the company are available in different parts of the world. There are many products of 3M in which the company is the market leader. Around 76,239 people were employed in December, 2007 at 3M. Out of these employees 34,138 were employed in United States.
SENGE’S FIVE DISCIPLINES FOR 3M
The report uses five disciplines presented by Senge and these disciplines are applied on 3M
Systems thinking
The idea of system thinking is to bound people to study and learn. 3M Company has launched Fire Barrier Duct Wrap in the fire protection products. For Fire compartmentation and for the safety of life, 3M identified the need of duct systems in order to build the residents or the householders to allow the fire team to get their job done when it is required. 3M focuses on the safety of people who are working on the installation of the safety systems. The company wants to make sure that people that are installing the safety systems should be safe. In order to make their work safer, the company has introduced 3M Fire Barrier Duct Wrap series. These are man-made which contains transparent spun fibers, even in the temperature of 1200 centigrade they can perform their work, allowing those people who construct the structures and also those who reside and also protecting them later on (3M, n.d.)
Personal Mastery:
Personal mastery can be defined as the level of commitment shown by the individuals to learn more in the organization. Higher the level of commitment to learn of employees, more chances a firm has to gain competitive advantage. 3M Company has such an organizational culture where employees are motivated and encouraged for mutation and to think creatively. The employees who are technically sound are assigned with 15% of the projects they wish to work on. The company promotes the viewpoints of its employees and creates capital ready that can be used for the projects of employees. 3M tried to maneuver the intensity on the participation of employee for a successful efficient energy program. For its employees 3M has initiated a program for energy, by the development of Annual Energy Recognition Program in 2003 (EERE Information Center, n.d.).
Mental Models:
Mental models can be defined as the use different models, images, assumptions and other things to learn. 3M considers the importance of investing in the individuals in order to grow; they have a simple believe that if the people of the corporation grow then the corporation would itself grow (3M a, 2013).
Shared Vision:
Share vision is to create a culture where commitment is fostered. 3M Company has an organizational culture that has shared vision with its employees. 3M values every act which is done with honesty and with honor. 3M has a vision which involves the importance of three aspects; innovation, products and technology. 3M Company has the ability and are capable of getting into each home, company and life globally. The chairman of the Board, President and CEO stated that many employees of the 3M Company are attracted towards the vision. With the technologies and products 3M has, it attracts the company in attracting more customers. Being corresponding to its vision, the Company has established six strategies to drive the company ahead. The strategies involved hundreds of 3M leaders. Before even introduced, employees even converted those strategies into purity, reliability and determination.
- Expand importance to the customers and also existence in the marketplace.
- Earn effective share of the market and speeding up market invasion.
- Spend money on innovation: stimulate current opportunities also target the appearing mega drifts.
- Increase the capabilities to gain local self sufficiency.
- Construct high operating and various talent of worldwide.
- Push the continuous primary levels of operational eminence. (3M, 2012)
Team Learning:
The other important discipline of learning organization is team learning. 3M Company supports its employees to maintain and achieve the understanding of developing a culture and encourage team learning. The company aims to create a workplace where employees can prosper. 3M has built course beneficence to improve the productivity of the team through a perception of diversity and equal employment opportunity.
(3M b, 2012)
The success of 3M depends on its capability to build employees in order for greater leadership roles. Due to this effort there could be an increase in the minorities of qualified employees and leadership positions of women. To assist employees to achieve their leadership roles and to achieve what the company is aiming for 3M Company encourages the mentoring program and also accommodates development, tools and networks in order to support the mentoring programs all over the company (3M b, 2012).
Conclusion:
3M Company produces more than 55,000 products and employs around 84,000 people around the globe. 3M Company has products in various market segments like; display and graphics, electronics, health care, safety and security, transportation and manufacturing industry, office etc and the company is all set to prosper in future.
References
3M a. (2013). About us. Retrieved June 7, 2013 from http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3M-Company/Information/AboutUs/Leadership/
3M b. (2013). Learning. Retrieved June 7, 2013 from http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/us-diversity/diversity/3M/learning-development/
3M. (2012). Annual Report. Retrieved June 7, 2013 from http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/80/80574/Annual_Report_2012.pdf
3M. (n.d.). 3M Fire Protection Products. Retrieved June 7, 2013 from http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?HHHHHHqo_TWHakIH7kIHHHDf2sDggggf-
EERE Information Center. (n.d.). Industrial Technologies Program. Retrieved June 7, 2013 from http://www1.eere.energy.gov/manufacturing/tech_assistance/pdfs/3m.pdf
