Creating a learning organisation to enable attitudinal change : a case study of a department within the Ministry for Health

Abstract

This study seeks to identify what changes are necessary in order to create a Learning Organisation within the Central Procurement and Supplies Unit within the Ministry for Health. It also studies the reactions of employees towards change and what motivates them at work as this could guide the management to a better understanding of the psychology involved in the changeover. A qualitative approach has been adopted to help the researcher identify the preparedness of the employees and the possibilities of creating a Learning Organisation within a Public Sector Department. The difficulties encountered are also identified in order to facilitate the process and address problems prior to initiating the process. Fifteen employees have accepted to participate in the study and have answered questions during a semi-structured interview. This method was adopted as it provided a better overview of the opinions of the employees within the department as opposed to closed-ended questions of a questionnaire. In fact, the employees felt more free to express their views and provide important insights on the procedures needed to create a Learning Organisation. These include the Link between Learning and Productivity, Motivators and Demotivators at work, Dealing with communication issues and how to address them, Management of workload, Incentives to hardworking employees and Self worth. All these themes were discussed during the study and the opinions provided by the participants were recorded so as to allow the researcher to recommend what changes were needed in order to transform this Department into a Learning Organisation. This study concludes that a Learning Organisation can be created in a Public Sector Department by making the necessary preparations to implement change and instilling in employees a positive attitude towards work by helping them feel a part of the Central Procurement and Supplies Unit and empowering them.