| The precarious nature of today's business environment---influenced by historic economic volatility and global sociopolitical instability---has individuals and organizations searching for a survival strategy to ride out these changing times. The uncertainty of today's business culture has made greater numbers of individuals rethink how business gets done. The organizations that will not just survive---but prosper---in the new economy must see themselves as living organisms, which can adapt to changing environments and new competitive realities. In the quest for rapid adaptability, the modern organization is becoming increasingly team-based; individuals and departments are being empowered with the responsibilities of problem solving and decision-making.; As corporate survival depends on adaptability, continuous learning is the key to the future. Organizations have to implement continuous learning and thinking by all, especially by teams within the organization. This quasi-experimental research study is the first of its kind to address the critical role self-directed team learning can play within the modern organization. The research focuses on (1) the acceptance and approval of the process of self-directed learning teams, and reactions to the process, and (2) the effectiveness of the process. Prior to this study, research focused solely on self-directed learning as it applies to the individual.; Two organizations, a manufacturing firm and an educational/technology organization were examined in this research study. Each of the two organizations in the research provided three existing work teams that routinely worked together on projects or tasks. Each organization had three groups participating, two treatments and one control group.; The research showed that learning occurred in the four treatment groups. However, the majority of participants wished they had an outside facilitator present in order to be sure they were learning correctly. Those with higher educational levels felt a little more comfortable with the process. A "learning to learn" pre-course could help introduce people to self-directed team learning.; As organizations reinvent themselves to survive in a volatile and uncertain business environment, self-directed team learning stands out as a viable and cost-effective method to stay competitive. This study provides an important first step in uncovering the benefits of self-directed team learning. |
