The Knowledge Lens: New Perspectives on Learning & Organizational Change

Do you relate to Dilbert's view of the work environment as endless rows of bland cubicles or are you fortunate to work in an environment that promotes creativity and flexibility? Organizations are increasingly turning to flexible work environments to decrease costs and/or improve productivity. But what does this mean to the individual employee? What are the potential drawbacks and benefits organizations need to understand?

Students, faculty, staff and alumni of Northwestern University's MS in Learning & Organizational Change Program regularly share knowledge and resources online about strategic change, leadership, knowledge management, and learning and development. Browse the April 2013 highlights from Twitter, blogs, Google+ and other online resources. Then join the conversation this spring!

Leaders are leaders, and they lead well no matter the environment in which they are leading. Right? Not quite. The context in which leaders are situated is important to understanding how effective they stand to be. Ten Chicago-based, nonprofit chief executives — each with for-profit experience — recently discussed their experiences in both sectors as a means of distinguishing their performance as leaders. This Capstone study addresses the following question: To what extent does effective leadership vary between nonprofit and for-profit contexts?

Students, faculty, staff and alumni of Northwestern University's MS in Learning & Organizational Change Program regularly share knowledge and resources online about strategic change, leadership, knowledge management, learning and development and design. Browse the March 2013 highlights from Twitter, blogs, Google+ and other online resources. Then join the conversation this spring!

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't -- you're right" - Henry Ford

The assumption behind the modern work team is that better decisions are made through sharing and discussion of diverse points of view. However, there are a number of factors — including organizational culture, personality, cultural diversity, and level of experience — that can prevent team members from feeling confident about their ability to add value to the decision making process. This article explores how an individual team member’s lack of self-efficacy can lead to self-limiting of contributions to the team decision making process.

Congratulations to members of the MSLOC community who have recently moved into new positions!

• Julnar Rizk (MSLOC 2011, Certificate) at Oracle
• Gina Farag (MSLOC 2009) at Saba

Examining organizational change is clearly central to the MSLOC program. Through a series of blog posts about changing habits, Susan Barrett Kelly, a faculty member and alumna of MSLOC, shares with us a detailed look at individual change.

Students, faculty, staff and alumni of Northwestern University's MS in Learning & Organizational Change Program regularly share knowledge and resources online about transforming organizations. Browse the February 2013 highlights from Twitter, blogs, Google+ and other online resources. Then join the conversation this spring!

A February class session of  MSLOC 430 Creating and Sharing Knowledge convened three guest speakers for a panel discussion to explore challenges related to digital networked knowledge sharing. Find out what happens when everyone is simultaneously having a conversation in the classroom and on Twitter.

Measurement is a very critical element for all organizations. At MSLOC, we constantly explore the various elements of designing good measures for assessing both tangible and intangible results. MSLOC student and Knowledge Lens guest blogger Teresa Torres explores this topic as it relates to product development.

Students, faculty, staff and alumni of Northwestern University's MS in Learning & Organizational Change Program regularly share knowledge and resources online about transforming organizations. Browse the January 2013 highlights from Twitter, blogs, Google+ and other online resources. Then join the conversation this winter!

Congratulations to members of the MSLOC community who have recently moved into new positions!

• Aaron Olson (MSLOC Faculty) at Aon Corporation
• Kami Bond (MSLOC 2010) at Aon Corporation
• Jamie Allen (MSLOC student) at Illinois Tool Works (ITW)
• Claudia Richman (MSLOC Student) at Digitas

One strategy for developing authenticity in leaders is the sharing of their life story, providing followers with insight into their authenticity. This MSLOC Capstone study explores how awareness of a leader’s life story impacts followers’ perception of their authenticity, as well as how authentic leadership impacts follower job satisfaction.

Students, faculty, staff and alumni of Northwestern University's MS in Learning & Organizational Change Program regularly share knowledge and resources online about transforming organizations. Review the Fall 2012 highlights from Twitter, blogs, Google+ and other online resources. Then join the conversation this winter!

Knowledge organizations commonly attempt to sustain their intellectual capital by utilizing in-house experts to train novice staff, but an expert’s ability to predict what is necessary to transfer knowledge to novice learners can be compromised by biases associated with an expert’s superior level of expertise (Hinds, 1999). Findings from this MSLOC Capstone study suggest that experts misdiagnose novice learning needs and though they usually attempt to adjust content to accommodate the novice learner, those adjustments are less successful than the experts perceive.

Congratulations to members of the MSLOC community who have recently moved into new positions!

• Georgia Del Freo (MSLOC Student) at Greater Erie Community Action Committee (GECAC)
• Amy Collins (MSLOC 2011) at Priceline.com
• Sara Levinson (MSLOC 2010) at ICNet Systems
• Lucy Gee (MSLOC 2012) at SmithBucklin
• Nicole Haris (MSLOC 2010) at McDonald's Corporation 

Master of Science in Learning and Educational Change students Amanda Dawson and Swati Surupria were selected for the 2012 National MBA Human Capital Case Competition as members of a Northwestern team composed of SESP and Kellogg students. Only 12 teams from across the nation were selected for the sixth annual competition, held October 18 to 20 in Nashville.

Students, faculty, staff and alumni of Northwestern University's MS in Learning & Organizational Change Program regularly share knowledge and resources online about transforming organizations. Review the August/September 2012 highlights from Twitter, blogs, Google+ and other online resources. Then join the conversation this fall!

Between 2009 and 2011 as part of the Foundations course, MSLOC students helped tackle the challenge of changing the way in which school districts feed their students. Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, University of Illinois Extension Educator, recently shared one team’s work at the 2012 Small Farm Conference in Memphis, Tennessee.

Maggie Lewis (MSLOC 2008) is Managing Partner at design firm Studio Blue. In this seven-minute Innovator Talk, Maggie reflects on what designers may know about the creative process that other business professionals might not.

Peter Finn (MSLOC 2007) is Director of Learning & Development at the Society of Women Engineers. In this seven-minute Innovator Talk, Pete shares his insights on using a competency framework to help insure non-profit board members are truly invested in the long-term growth of the organization.

Consultant Kelly Ross (MSLOC 2011) reflects on her experience as an expatriat and globe-trotting consultant in this seven-minute Innovator Talk. The good news for global talent management: People are more similar than different.

Booz & Company Associate Jesse Newton (MSLOC 2011) explores the connection between happiness and change capability in this seven-minute Innovator Talk.

MSLOC alum and entrepreneur Jason Becker explores the nature of strategy and change in a start-up environment. "Don't mistake a clear vision for a short distance."

Students, faculty, staff and alumni of Northwestern University's MS in Learning & Organizational Change Program regularly share knowledge and resources online about transforming organizations. Review the July 2012 highlights from Twitter, blogs, Google+, Remember.com and other online resources. Then join the conversation this fall!

Many dual-income couples with children report working too many hours and struggle with managing the increasingly overlapping work and family domains. This study investigates whether there are differences in satisfaction with job, job flexibility, work-family balance, and family by comparing part-time and full-time working mothers.

MSLOC alumni Sara Levinson (MSLOC 2010) and Michelle Frisque (MSLOC 2012) share findings from their Capstone research projects at two professional association conferences.

Students, faculty, staff and alumni of Northwestern University's MS in Learning & Organizational Change Program regularly share knowledge and resources online about transforming organizations. Review the June 2012 highlights from Twitter, blogs, Google+, Remember.com and other online resources. Then join the conversation this summer!

Organizations spend countless hours and energy on corporate citizenship initiatives and programming. While the debate about the benefits of socially responsible activities and corporate citizenship continues, the question remains: To what extent does "doing good" really matter when it comes to employee engagement?  

MSLOC alumna Sandra Felker joined Ernst & Young as a Manager of People & Organizational Change. MSLOC alumna Michele Catalano joined West Monroe Partners as the Management Development Training Manager. Tabitha Isham, Anne-Marie Wolff and Brit Combs, all current MSLOC students, also started new positions.

Psychological Capital (also known as personal resources) describes the within-person capacities of self-efficacy, hope, optimism and resilience. Targeted towards training & development professionals, this paper presents the findings of a study designed to identify an influential indicator in the selection of preferred training methods across these four within-person capacities.

Students, faculty, staff and alumni of Northwestern University's MS in Learning & Organizational Change Program regularly share knowledge and resources online about transforming organizations. Review the May 2012 highlights from Twitter, blogs, Google+, Remember.com and other online resources. Then join the conversation this summer!

Recent graduate Lucy Gee (MSLOC 2012) will facilitate a discussion on employee empowerment at the MOR Associates IT Leaders Conference in Chicago June 20-22.

MSLOC alum Sarah Ketvirtis joins SymphoniIRI Group as Organizational Development Director. Alum Vikash Shah joins Nielsen as HR Business Partner.

It is important to understand the challenges to implementing 360-degree feedback in a team setting to gain the anticipated benefits of increased individual self-awareness, transparent communication and ultimately improved team performance.

Terri Cramer, associate director of the program, was selected as a finalist for Employee of the Year at Northwestern. SESP associate dean Coleen Coleman was honored for her 20 years of service.

The Master of Science in Learning and Organizational Change program (MSLOC) at the School of Education and Social Policy marks its 10th anniversary with a celebration this spring.

Students, faculty, staff and alumni of Northwestern University's MS in Learning & Organizational Change Program regularly share knowledge and resources online about transforming organizations. Review the April 2012 highlights from Twitter, blogs, Google+ and other online resources. Then join the conversation this spring! 

Lawyers and law firms are of particular interest in the management context because of the natural tension between the practicing law firm lawyer and the manager. This study examines managerial success and failure of mid-level attorney managers in becoming senior attorney managers in law firms.

MSLOC Director and Assistant Professor Kimberly S. Scott authors chapter for new book.

MSLOC alum Christine Leung (2009) joins Tennessee's innovative Achievement School District as Director of Knowledge Management. 

Students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Northwestern University's MS Learning & Organizational Change Program regularly share knowledge and resources online about transforming organizations.  Review the March 2012 highlights from Twitter, blogs, Google+ and other online resources.  Then join the conversation this spring!

Two SESP faculty members and a SESP alumna have found evidence that extracurricular design-based learning prepares students for careers in innovation.

Decision-making is an integral part of any team activity. But sometimes teams can follow a flawed process by not exchanging enough information, exploring inadequate alternatives, and make erroneous conclusions. 

Students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Northwestern University's MS Learning & Organizational Change Program regularly share knowledge and resources online about transforming organizations.  Review the Winter 2012 highlights from Twitter, blogs, Google+ and other online resources.  Then join the conversation this spring!

The leader of a team plays a critical role in facilitating knowledge sharing. This article looks at the role of leadership and trust in knowledge sharing and makes recommendations that can be used to increase knowledge sharing within organizational teams.

Jeanne Marie Olson (MS96), a faculty member in the Master of Science in Learning and Organizational Change program at the School of Education and Social Policy, will join with eminent professionals to discuss “Creative Process” as part of Chicago Ideas Week on October 15.

SESP’s Master of Science in Learning and Organizational Change (MSLOC) program opens the school year with new status as an international program, a new full-time faculty member and new recognition for its innovative use of technology.

Organizations in the current global competitive environment are under increasing pressure to innovate rapidly to deliver breakthrough ideas and products to the market in what has been described as a shift from a knowledge economy to a creativity economy (Berner, Brady, & Nussbaum, 2005).

Trust is a critical ingredient to ensuring a healthy team dynamic, with its absence dramatically hindering team success in any organizational context.

Being able to recognize, interpret and convey the significance of patterns in massive amounts of data is critical to organizational success.

Today we launch a new look for MSLOC’s website home and for The Knowledge Lens, our forum for sharing thought leadership on learning and organizational change.