Draws together the seminal work on organizational learning done over many years by Chris Argyris to give a complete picture of his contribution in the field. This book should be useful to anyone interested in understanding how organizations work, evolve and learn. The themes of how organizations learn and how organizational politics function define the continuing importance and relevance of the key issues which the pieces in the book address. Topics covered include: organizational learning and action science; organizational effectiveness, and what inhibits it; organizational development and human resource activities; and usable knowledge and how it is inhibited. The author's focus on the defensive and protective processes which block organizations from learning has opened them up to a new form of scrutiny, and demonstrates the liberating alternatives created by scientific investigation.

Intellectually stimulating. Times Higher Educational Supplement .

Chris Argyris is James B. Conant Professor at the Graduate School of Business, Harvard University, USA.