Discovering “old” values: What does John Calvin have to contribute to new Learning Organisations?

Abstract: Discovering “old” values: What does John Calvin have to contribute to new Learning Organisations? Modern organisations are subjected to increasing demands to provide space for employees and members to find purpose, meaning and sense in what they do every day. This article aims to connect John Calvin’s ideas related to calling and self-denial as principle with the needs of organisations to accommodate staff members’ need to be meaningfully engaged with the work they do in the context of the idea of Learning Organisations. This is done by briefly pointing to the disillusionment of postmodern society with the modernistic forces of rationalism, linear thinking, bureaucratisation and standardisation which have led to the dehumanisation of organisations and ultimately the world of work. It is also indicated that a new trend in organisational thinking is the development of the concept of a Learning Organisation. The Learning Organisation idea is a break with modern bureaucratic and hierarchical thinking. The aim is then to link these relatively new two streams of ideas with the views which John Calvin articulated about the calling or vocation of the faithful and their relationship with their fellow humans. The conclusion is that for the faithful the Learning Organisation and acknowledgement of their spiritual contribution is an opportunity to claim the workplace as territory to be in the service of others (as explained in Chapter 7 of Book 3 of the Institutes – and effectively in service of God) and to experience work as a true vocation and calling.   Opsomming: Ontdekking van “ou” waardes: Wat kan Johannes Calvyn bydra tot nuwe Leerorganisasies? Moderne organisasies kry te doen met toenemende eise om ruimte te voorsien vir werknemers en lede van die organisasies waarin hulle doel, betekenis en waarde kan sien in wat hulle elke dag doen. Hierdie artikel poog om Johannes Calvyn se idees van roeping en selfverloëning as beginsel te verbind met die behoefte van organisasies om werknemers betekenisvol betrokke te maak in die werk wat hulle doen in die konteks van die idee van Leerorganisasies. Dit word gedoen deur kortliks te wys op die teleurstelling van die postmoderne samelewing met die modernistiese kragte van rasionalisme, linieêre denke, burokratisering en standardisering wat gelei het tot die ontmensliking van organisasies en uiteindelik die wêreld van werk. Dit wys ook daarop dat ‘n nuwe beweging in organisatoriese denke ontstaan het wat die ontwikkeling van die idee van die Leeroganisasie voorstaan. Die Leerorganisasie konsep verteenwoordig ‘n breuk met moderne burokratiese en hiërargiese denke. Die doel is dan om hierdie relatief nuwe twee strome van idees te verbind met die sienings wat Johannes Calvyn uitgedruk het oor die roeping van gelowiges in die werkplek en hulle verhouding met die medemens. Die gevolgtrekking is dat die gelowiges die Leerorganisasie en erkenning van hulle geestelike bydrae as ‘n geleentheid kan gebruik om die werkplek as terrein op te eis waar die naaste gedien kan word (soos verduidelik in Hoofstuk 7 van Boek 3 van Calvyn se Institusie). Op hierdie manier kan werk ervaar word as’t ‘n ware uitlewingsgeleentheid van hulle roeping.