As business environment becomes more complex and dynamic than ever before, many organizations are increasingly interested in their learning capability to achieve competitive advantage. For the survival and growth in the future, a firm will have to adapt rapidly with the pace of change in knowledge and technology.
The purpose of this thesis is to identify and categorize the building blocks of a learning organization for the achievement of technological innovation. Also this thesis attempts to examine the characteristics of learning activities in the development process of pharmaceutical products through case study and to suggest the critical factors for successful technological learning.
Throughout the theoretical review regarding technological innovation and organizational learning, learning-related basic components were categorized into four dimensions such as individual learning process, organizational learning process, supporting system for the efficient learning and organizational elements as a learning base.
Based on the research framework, a case study was undertaken to analyze and identify learning processes and characteristics during the development and production of products from a pharmaceutical firm.
The major characteristics of learning activities from this case study were as follows:
1) Both individual and organizational learning processes were effectively utilized during the development of products, and each process was dependent on the leadership style and the technological basis of its organization.
2) Technological knowledge acquired during development has impacted on new product development through the sharing process of knowlwdge within organizations, which has played critical roles in the expansion of technological basis.
3) Technological characteristics of product required different approaches in implementing a production process within an operating area, which determined the direction of technology accumulation and learning process.
4) Variety of technological basis increased the capability in knowledge creation, which led to a different learning process and produced a different performance.
Throughout the case analysis, several specific elements for learning organization were identified including management support to learn, variety in the creation of technological knowledge, individual and organizational learning processes.
To building an effective learning organization for technological innovation, middle-manager's role as a learning effector should be enhanced. In addition, to share a vision for the creative learning and to build a knowledge-management system and to execute learning strategically are needed.
Finally, some managerial implications and limitations of this study were described and future research directions were suggested.
