Learning from Work

Anne Beamish is the Director of archNet, a research group within the Design Laboratory in the School of Architecture and Planning at MIT concerned with the application of design principles in a range of contexts.

@fmct:Contents @toc4:Figures and Tables Acknowledgments @toc2:Chapter 1: Introduction @toc3:Background The Problem Design Identifying Obstacles @toc2:Chapter 2: Automobile Dealerships--Past and Present @toc3:History of Automobile Dealerships Automobile Dealerships Today @toc2:Chapter 3: Work Practice @toc3:Vignette I: Service Department Vignette II: Sales Department The Work of Dealership Employees @toc2:Chapter 4: Obstacles to Learning and Communication @toc3:The Physical Environment The Medium Content: Learning and Communication The Individual Social and Cultural Environment Economic and Work Environment @toc2:Chapter 5: Synthesis and Evaluation @toc3:Obstacles to Learning and Communication Designing Solutions @toc2:Chapter 6: Conclusion @toc4:Notes References Index

"Learning from Work is an excellent example of what we miss if we do not base our organizational theories and management prescriptions on a close look at actual workplace practices. The detailed case study of car dealerships illustrates superbly the complex set of issues that influence behaviors in an organizational context, meaning that simple, rationale solutions to apparent problems may backfire because the problem is not as it initially appears. Using a design lens and adopting a multidisciplinary, multiple perspectives approach, the author is able to show us more realistic ways to create a learning organization." - Sue Newell, Bentley College and Warwick Business School "Learning from Work is a satisfying read that sheds light on the situated nature of workplace learning. Prepackaged learning solutions don't work for good reasons - as Anne Beamish shows in this case study of automobile dealerships. Readers will see how they can use design thinking to get below the surface of learning problems and proposed solutions." - Victoria J. Marsick, Co-Director, J.M. Huber Institute for Learning in Organizations