Share:


Challenges to the learning organization in the context of COVID-19 pandemic uncertainty: creativity – based response

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic poses several challenges transforming the learning organization. The retention of sustainability in the context of COVID-19 pandemic uncertainty requires immediate response. Therefore, this paper addresses the following research question: how does organizational creativity contribute to managing challenges in the context of COVID-19 pandemic uncertainty as a precondition for resilience? Thus, the paper offers several contributions. First of all, the research dwells on the conceptual attributes of the learning organization: the object is identified and substantiated, the ways the learning organization’s vulnerability manifests itself through are presented; the factors creating the learning organization’s COVID-19 pandemic vulnerability are discussed; it is identified what capacities are necessary and in what learning processes they develop to reduce the learning organization’s COVID-19 pandemic vulnerability. Secondly, the paper identifies and discusses critical challenges to the learning organization caused by COVID-19 pandemic uncertainty, the ones that the organization must react to immediately to reduce its COVID-19 pandemic vulnerability: rapid social innovation cycle, expansion of organizational learning and optimisation of perceived organizational support for employee trust and commitment. Thirdly, the paper discuss how creativity is important for response.

Keyword : COVID-19 pandemic, learning organization, organizational creativity, resilience, vulnerability, uncertainty

How to Cite
Vainauskienė, V., & Vaitkienė, R. (2022). Challenges to the learning organization in the context of COVID-19 pandemic uncertainty: creativity – based response. Creativity Studies, 15(2), 332–347. https://doi.org/10.3846/cs.2022.15109
Published in Issue
Apr 6, 2022
Abstract Views
1033
PDF Downloads
854
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

Aledort, J. L., Lurie, N., Wasserman, J., & Bozzette, S. A. (2007). Non-pharmaceutical public health interventions for pandemic influenza: An evaluation of the evidence base. BMC Public Health, 7, 208. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-7-208

Amabile, T. M. (2012). Componential theory of creativity. Harvard Business School. Working Paper 12-096. https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/12-096.pdf

Amabile, T. M. (1997). Motivating creativity in organizations: On doing what you love and loving what you do. California Management Review, 40(1), 39–58. https://doi.org/10.2307/41165921

Aven, T., & Renn, O. (2009). On risk defined as an event where the outcome is uncertain. Journal of Risk Research, 12(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/13669870802488883

Azizi Nejad, B., Seiied Abbaszadeh, M. M., Hassani, M., & Bernousi, I. (2012). Study of the entrepreneurship in universities as learning organization based on Senge Model. International Education Studies, 5(1), 67–77. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v5n1p67

Barnes, B., Glass, K., & Becker, N. G. (2007). The role of health care workers and antiviral drugs in the control of pandemic influenza. Mathematical Biosciences, 209(2), 403–416. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mbs.2007.02.008

Beghetto, R. A. (2021). There is no creativity without uncertainty: Dubito Ergo Creo. Journal of Creativity, 31, 100005. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yjoc.2021.100005

Bell, B. S., Lee, S.-W., & Yeung, S. K. (2006). The impact of e‐HR on professional competence in HRM: Implications for the development of HR professionals. Human Resource Management, 45(3), 295–308. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.20113

Berkes, F. (2007). Understanding uncertainty and reducing vulnerability: Lessons from resilience thinking. Natural Hazards, 41, 283–295. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-006-9036-7

Birkmann, J. (2006). Measuring vulnerability to promote disaster-resilient societies: Conceptual frameworks and definitions. In J. Birkmann (Ed.), Measuring vulnerability to natural hazards: Towards disaster resilient societies (pp. 9–54). United Nations University Press.

Bohle, H.-G. (2001). Vulnerability and criticality: Perspectives from social geography. In IHDP Update: Newsletter of the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change. https://www.ipcc.ch/apps/njlite/srex/njlite_download.php?id=6390

Bondarouk, T. V., & Ruël, H. J. M. (2009). Electronic human resource management: Challenges in the digital era. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 20(3), 505–514. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585190802707235

Brahmbhatt, M., & Dutta, A. (2008). On SARS type economic effects during infectious disease outbreaks. In Policy Research Working Paper No. 4466. https://doi.org/10.1596/1813-9450-4466

Castro Spila, J., Luna, Á., & Unceta, A. (2016). Social innovation regimes: An exploratory framework to measure social innovation. In SIMPACT Working Paper, 2016(1). http://www.simpact-project.eu/publications/wp/WP_2016-01_CastroSpila_Luna_Unceta_SIRegimes.pdf

Chavoushi, Z. H., Zali, M. R., Valliere, D., Faghih, N., Hejazi, R., & Mobini Dehkordi, A. (2021). Entrepreneurial alertness: A systematic literature review. Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 33(2), 123–152. https://doi.org/10.1080/08276331.2020.1764736

Chuo, H.-Y. (2007). Theme park visitors’ responses to the SARS outbreak in Taiwan. Advances in Hospitality and Leisure, 3, 87–104. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1745-3542(06)03006-2

Cinti, S. (2005). Pandemic influenza: Are we ready? Disaster Management and Response, 3(3), 61–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dmr.2005.05.002

Cohen, A. K., & Cromwell, J. R. (2021). How to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic with more creativity and innovation. Population Health Management, 24(2), 153–155. https://doi.org/10.1089/pop.2020.0119

Crossan, M. M., Lane, H. W., & White, R. E. (1999). An organizational learning framework: From intuition to institution. The Academy of Management Review, 24(3), 522–537. https://doi.org/10.2307/259140

Delivorias, A., & Scholz, N. (2020). Economic impact of epidemics and pandemics. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2020/646195/EPRS_BRI(2020)646195_EN.pdf

Department of Health and Human Services, USA; Community Mitigation Guidance. (2007). Interim pre-pandemic planning guidance: Community strategy for pandemic influenza mitigation in the United States – early, targeted, layered use of nonpharmaceutical interventions. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/pdf/community_mitigation-sm.pdf

Devece, C., Palacios, D., & Ribeiro-Navarrete, B. (2019). The effectiveness of crowdsourcing in knowledge-based industries: The moderating role of transformational leadership and organizational learning. Economic Research, 32(1), 335–351. https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2018.1547204

Devece, C., Peris-Ortiz, M., & Rueda-Armengot, C. (2016). Entrepreneurship during economic crisis: Success factors and paths to failure. Journal of Business Research, 69(11), 5366–5370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2016.04.139

Dirks, K. T., & Ferrin, D. L. (2002). Trust in leadership: Meta-analytic findings and implications for research and practice. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4), 611–628. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.87.4.611

Doern, R. (2016). Entrepreneurship and crisis management: The experiences of small businesses during the London 2011 riots. International Small Business Journal: Researching Entrepreneurship, 34(3), 276–302. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242614553863

Downing, T. E., & Bakker, K. (2000). Drought discourse and vulnerability. In D. A. Wilhite (Ed.), Routledge hazards and disasters. Drought: A global assessment (Vols. 1–2, chapter 45). Routledge.

Duan, W., Tang, X., Li, Y., Cheng, X., & Zhang, H. (2020). Perceived organizational support and employee creativity: The mediation role of calling. Creativity Research Journal, 32(4), 403–411. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2020.1821563

Egbuji, A. (1999). Risk management of organizational records. Records Management Journal, 9(2), 93–116. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000007245

Eijnatten, van F. M., & Putnik, G. D. (2004). Chaos, complexity, learning, and the learning organization: Towards a Chaordic enterprise. The Learning Organization, 11(6), 418–429. https://doi.org/10.1108/09696470410548782

Elliott, D., Smith, D., & McGuinness, M. (2000). Exploring the failure to learn: Crises and the barriers to learning. Review of Business, 21(3), 17.

Elsayed, W. A., & Abdel-ghani, A. M. (2020). Learning organization and its influence on organization’ resilience and creativity in Mansoura oncology center. Egyptian Journal of Health Care, 11(2), 485–499. https://doi.org/10.21608/ejhc.2020.147928

Faulkner, B. (2001). Towards a framework for tourism disaster management. Tourism Management, 22(2), 135–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(00)00048-0

Faustenhammer, A., & Gössler, M. (2011). Preparing for the next crisis: What can organizations do to prepare managers for an uncertain future? Business Strategy Series, 12(2), 51–55. https://doi.org/10.1108/17515631111114840

Fischbacher-Smith, D., & Fischbacher-Smith, M. (2012). Barriers to organizational learning. In M. N. Seel (Ed.), Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning (pp. 407–409). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1428-6_1625

Grigoryev, L. M. (2020). Global social drama of pandemic and recession. Population and Economics, 4(2), 18–25. https://doi.org/10.3897/popecon.4.e53325

Gupta, V., Agarwal, U. A., & Khatri, N. (2016). The relationships between perceived organizational support, affective commitment, psychological contract breach, organizational citizenship behaviour and work engagement. Leading Global Nursing Research, 72(11), 2806–2817. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13043

Hagenaars, T. J., Genugten, van M. L. L., & Wallinga, J. (2004). Pandemic influenza and health care demand: Dynamic modelling. International Congress Series, 1263, 235–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ics.2004.02.083

Hall, J., & Wagner, M. (2012). Editorial: The challenges and opportunities of sustainable development for entrepreneurship and small business. Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 25(4), 409–416. https://doi.org/10.1080/08276331.2012.10593581

Hu, R., Wang, L., Zhang, W., & Bin, P. (2018). Creativity, proactive personality, and entrepreneurial intention: The role of entrepreneurial alertness. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00951

Iansiti, M., & Richards, G. (2020). Coronavirus is widening the corporate digital divide. Harward Business Review. https://hbr.org/2020/03/coronavirus-is-widening-the-corporate-digital-divide

İyigün, N. Ö. (2015). What could entrepreneurship do for sustainable development? A corporate social responsibility-based approach. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 195, 1226–1231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.06.253

Jamal, T., & Budke, Ch. (2020). Tourism in a world with pandemics: Local-global responsibility and action. Journal of Tourism Futures, 6(2), 181–188. https://doi.org/10.1108/JTF-02-2020-0014

Jamali, D., Khoury, G., & Sahyoun, H. (2006). From bureaucratic organizations to learning organizations: An evolutionary roadmap. The Learning Organization, 13(4), 337–352. https://doi.org/10.1108/09696470610667724

Johnson Tew, P., Lu, Zh., Tolomiczenko, G., & Gellatly, J. (2008). SARS: Lessons in strategic planning for hoteliers and destination marketers. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 20(3), 332–346. https://doi.org/10.1108/09596110810866145

Jones, O., & Macpherson, A. (2006). Inter-organizational learning and strategic renewal in SMEs: Extending the 4I framework. Long Range Planning, 39(2), 155–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2005.02.012

Khurana, S., & Bedi, B. P. (2020). Evolution of HR practices in global pandemic: A review and proposed research agenda. Puracala (UGC Care Journal), 31(4), 799–806.

Kontoghiorghes, C., Awbre, S. M., & Feurig, P. L. (2005). Examining the relationship between learning organization characteristics and change adaptation, innovation, and organizational performance. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 16(2), 185–212. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.1133

Koronis, E., & Ponis, S. (2018). Better than before: The resilient organization in crisis mode. Journal of Business Strategy, 39(1), 32–42. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBS-10-2016-0124

Korstanje, M. E. (2011). Swine Flu in Buenos Aires: Beyond the principle of resilience. International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, 2(1), 59–73. https://doi.org/10.1108/17595901111108371

Lee, Ch.-K., Song, H.-J., Bendle, L. J., Kim, M.-J., & Han, H. (2012). The impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions for 2009 H1N1 influenza on travel intentions: A model of goal-directed behavior. Tourism Management, 33(1), 89–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2011.02.006

Lundberg, J., & Rankin, A. (2014). Resilience and vulnerability of small flexible crisis response teams: Implications for training and preparation. Cognition, Technology and Work, 16, 143–155. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10111-013-0253-z

Metzl, E. S., & Morell, M. (2008). The role of creativity in models of resilience: Theoretical exploration and practical applications. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 3(3), 303–318. https://doi.org/10.1080/15401380802385228

Orkibi, H. (2021). Creative adaptability: Conceptual framework, measurement, and outcomes in times of crisis. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.588172

Parsons, W. (1996). Crisis management. Career Development International, 1(5), 26–28. https://doi.org/10.1108/13620439610130614

Perez Perez, G. I., & Talebi Bezmin Abadi, A. (2020). Ongoing challenges faced in the global control of COVID-19 pandemic. Archives of Medical Research, 51(6), 574–576. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arcmed.2020.04.016

Pheng, L. S., Ying, L. J., & Kumaraswamy, M. (2010). Institutional compliance framework and business continuity management in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Singapore. Disaster Prevention and Management, 19(5), 596–614. https://doi.org/10.1108/09653561011091922

Preston, B., & Stafford-Smith, M. (2009). Framing Vulnerability and Adaptive Capacity Assessment: Discussion Paper. Climate Adaptation National Research Flagship. Working Paper No. 2. https://research.csiro.au/climate/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2016/03/2_Working-Paper2_CAF_PDF-Standard.pdf

Rae, D., & Carswell, M. (2001). Towards a conceptual understanding of entrepreneurial learning. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 8(2), 150–158. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000006816

Ren, Sh., & Jackson, S. E. (2020). HRM institutional entrepreneurship for sustainable business organizations. Human Resource Management Review, 30(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2019.100691

Roy, D., Tripathy, S., Kumar Kar, S., Sharma, N., Kumar Verma, S., & Kaushal, V. (2020). Study of knowledge, attitude, anxiety and perceived mental healthcare need in Indian population during COVID-19 pandemic. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102083

Schaefer, K., Doyle Corner, P., & Kearins, K. (2015). Social, environmental and sustainable entrepreneurship research: What is needed for sustainability-as-flourishing? Organization and Environment, 28(4), 394–413. https://doi.org/10.1177/1086026615621111

Secundo, G., Schiuma, G., & Passiante, G. (2017). Entrepreneurial learning dynamics in knowledge-intensive enterprises. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 23(3), 366–380. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-01-2017-0020

Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. Doubleday Publishing Group.

Serrat, O. (2017). Knowledge solutions: Tools, methods, and approaches to drive organizational performance. Springer Open.

Shantz, A., Alfes, K., & Latham, G. P. (2016). The buffering effect of perceived organizational support on the relationship between work engagement and behavioral outcomes. Human Resource Management, 55(1), 25–38. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21653

Shukla, A., & Rai, H. (2015). Linking perceived organizational support to organizational trust and commitment: Moderating role of psychological capital. Global Business Review, 16(6), 981–996. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972150915597599

Smit, B., & Wandel, J. (2006). Adaptation, adaptive capacity and vulnerability. Global Environmental Change, 16(3), 282–292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2006.03.008

Smith, D., & Elliott, D. (2007). Exploring the barriers to learning from crisis: Organizational learning and crisis. Management Learning, 38(5), 519–538. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350507607083205

Stafford, G., Yu, L., & Kobina Armoo, A. (2002). Crisis management and recovery: How Washington, DC., hotels responded to terrorism. The Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 43(5), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.1177/0010880402435003

Terán-Yépez, E., Marín-Carrillo, G. M., Pilar Casado-Belmonte, del M., & Mercedes Capobianco-Uriarte, de las M. (2020). Sustainable entrepreneurship: Review of its evolution and new trends. Journal of Cleaner Production, 252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119742

Therrien, M.-Ch., Normandin, J.-M., & Denis, J.-L. (2017). Bridging complexity theory and resilience to develop surge capacity in health systems. Journal of Health Organization and Management, 31(1), 96–109. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-04-2016-0067

Tremblay, D.-G., & Pilati, Th. (2013). Social innovation through arts and creativity. In F. Moulaert, D. MacCallum, A. Mehmood, & A. Hamdouch (Eds.), The international handbook on social innovation: Collective action, social learning and transdisciplinary research (pp. 67–79). Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781849809993.00015

Vaishya, R., Javaid, M., Haleem Khan, I., & Haleem, A. (2020). Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications for COVID-19 pandemic. Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research and Reviews 14(4), 337–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsx.2020.04.012

Vasin, S. M., Gamidullaeva, L. A., & Rostovskaya, T. K. (2017). The challenge of social innovation: Approaches and key mechanisms of development. European Research Studies Journal, 20(2B), 25–45. https://doi.org/10.35808/ersj/664

Vatsa, K. S. (2004). Risk, vulnerability, and asset-based approach to disaster risk management. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 24(10–11), 1–48. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443330410791055