Multi-level outcomes of learning organisation: a bibliometric analysis and future research agenda

Abstract

Purpose Becoming a learning organisation (LO) is an aspiration for every organisation as it offers internal capabilities, a competitive advantage and synergy gains to organisational members. Scholars across the globe have tried to examine the outcomes of LO at various organisational levels. Still, the existing literature is fragmented, and there is no systematic understanding of the multi-level outcomes of LO. Therefore, this study aims to synthesise, analyse and categorise the scientific literature into various levels of outcomes of LO to provide a conceptual framework for use by future researchers and academicians. Design/methodology/approach The authors have performed bibliometric analysis using 603 research articles published in Scopus, entailing 1,345 authors from 77 countries, followed by a thematic cluster analysis using bibliographic coupling to understand the current research trends and to recommend a set of broad themes to provide direction for future researchers in this domain. Findings The results are largely descriptive and aim to capture a panoramic view of what has been written on the topic so far. The bibliometric analysis was conducted using different means like citation analysis, cluster analysis, and keyword analysis to reveal the most significant publications, notable authors, keywords, current research trends, and future research questions. Further, the bibliographic coupling led to the categorization of the outcomes of LO into the following four clusters (including sub-clusters): (1) Individual level learning outcomes (2) team-level learning outcomes, (3) organisational-wide learning outcomes and (4) inter-organisational learning outcomes. Practical implications Managers and practitioners (change agents) expect academicians and researchers to suggest a set of actions that integrates their learning efforts with business performance across diverse sectors and industries. So, future researchers may try and explain the findings of seminal studies identified in the most cited documents, to design choices and trade-offs that may address major hindrances in implementing the construct in true spirit. The researchers may collaborate with practitioners to study the outcomes of LO with a scientific and empirical lens. Finally, the study invites change agents and organisation development (OD) practitioners to document the outcomes of their efforts to create and leverage the outcomes of LO. Originality/value Researchers across the world have tried to examine the outcomes of LO at various levels in organisational setting including, measuring capabilities and attitudes at individual level, team capabilities and innovation, and organisational performance and sustainability, but still there is no tested conceptual framework which encompasses the various outcome levels of LO in one frame.