Learning Disabilities in Organizations

Other people working in the department told me that only ten years ago their efforts were sufficient because the equipment was new and rarely broke. The company was dedicated to using new technologies to improve their workflow. However, after the economic crisis of 2008, management changed its vision. This is why the current situation was so dire.

System Archetypes

By analyzing the possible system archetypes, it is possible to categorize this case into two of them. The first system archetype that can apply to this organization is called “shifting the burden.” This archetype utilizes short-term solutions to address problems that would gain more benefit from long-term solutions. Moreover, because of the positive results achieved during the initial implementation, short-term solutions become prioritized by the company.

This outcome leads to the company losing the capabilities to implement a fundamental solution. The case presents a situation where instead of upgrading all the outdated computer equipment, the company chose only to replace those machines that were completely broken. This did enable more people to continue their work, but at the same time, it did not solve the issue of the older machines constantly malfunctioning. The number of work hours that were lost due to faulty machinery had to be significant enough to cause additional losses to the company, which were later used as an excuse not to upgrade the computer equipment.

The management did not see a problem with this outcome, despite the major increase in the workload of the IT department in the last three years. This attitude suggests that the managers did not believe that a fundamental solution was possible in the current organizational environment (Senge, 2006).

The second system archetype that can be observed in the case is called “eroding the goals.” It describes a similar situation to the previous archetype where short-term solutions affect the vision of the company and its standards. The 2008 economic crisis affected many different companies on a global scale, and some have never recovered from it. This was the case with this organization. The original vision of the company was focused on utilizing the newest technological advancements available for office work. This focus created a competitive advantage for the company because it significantly streamlined the workflow of the office work.

Unfortunately, the 2008 crisis prevented the company from fundamentally updating the computer equipment, and now the management has gone astray from the original vision. Perhaps during the initial crisis, this change in vision was required for the future sustainability of the company, but an attempt had to be made to hold onto it or restore it at a later date. Because the original vision was lost, the organization is now unwilling to address issues that would not be there in the first place if the vision was maintained (Senge, 2006).

Learning Disabilities

One of the more common learning disabilities that large and powerful organizations experience is the “boiled frog parable.” The parable states that if a frog is put into a boiling pot, it will try its best to immediately jump out of it. However, if the water in the pot is heated from room temperature to the boiling point, the frog would not leave the pot. Although the parable has no scientific basis, it serves as a vivid illustration of the certain types of human behavior.

A large company can underestimate the impact of their competitors if they are slowly gaining their market share. The case is not related to competition. However, it describes how the organization lost its main competitive edge through the lack of a proper reaction to a problem. The case points out the fact that ten years ago, the company used the newest technology, which gave them a competitive edge. This technology slowly became outdated and, in some cases, obsolete with time. If there were a sudden change that would make all the computer equipment obsolete in the office, the company would be forced to react immediately, but due to this gradual change, no proper actions were taken (Senge, 2006).

The second learning disability that was present in the organization is called “the myth of the management team.” This disability refers to the belief that the management team is usually right in their decisions. The team members often try to keep their problems with the company silent, and the decisions made by those teams are often compromised or reflect an opinion of a single member of the team. People who express their displeasure with decisions are rarely rewarded, and those that quickly resolve issues are prioritized. Sometimes management teams consist completely of people who do not want to appear uncertain and to do so.

They are ready to reject a