The challenge of integrating research, action and learning in the workplace to affect organisational change

Abstract

The ability to learn and adapt to the challenges of new contexts was important too rganisations, which invested in staff development to implement organisational change and individuals who engaged in learning to satisfy career demands. A review of the literature indicated that change was difficult to sustain and that the majority of change initiatives failed and that adult learning was diverse and complex, yet critical. Typically research into teaching was in the context of teaching children and adolescents and did not reflect the complexity of the adult learning field. This study explored the relationship between adult learners' professional development and organisations' change agenda. The adult learners' perspective was explored through survey research. Interviews with staff provided information about their experiences with organisational change and professional development. Staff responses to a questionnaire provided qualitative and quantitative data about their background, organisational change, and informal and formal learning in relation to their employment.