Publications

BOOKS

LEARNING ORGANISATIONS IN A SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT BOOK

Learning organisations in a South African context

In this fresh and engaging introduction to the concept of a “Learning Organisation”, Stefan Fourie gives readers new perspectives on this elusive concept. The book explores the learning process within a uniquely South African context. Through the learning process, we learn to review our assumptions about how the organisation functions, and to look for ways to improve the organisation by improving work processes and enhancing services.

Practically, the book explores four perspectives, each with its own unique strategies to develop a learning organisation. The content includes:

  • Four wrong perspectives
  • First right perspective – Understanding the benefits of being a learning organisation
  • Second right perspective – Seeing learning as a “process”
  • Third right perspective – Capturing and sharing what has been learnt
  • Fourth right perspective – Learning is meaningful
  • Trusting the learning process: What would an ideal SA learning organisation look like?

This book is for those who are in HR, OD, Learning and Development and line management. The book is grounded in a body of scientific knowledge and practice, but written in such a practical way that is possible for everyone to understand. The text is enhanced with case studies, summaries, illustrations, and a how-to contribution at the end.

Work-based Learning

This book focuses on the learning process in developing managers. Empowerment through appointing and developing managers is becoming a prerequisite to doing business in our context. Learning is the key to empowering not only the individual, but also impacting the organisation. In this book, the link between real empowerment and learning will be explained. Learning is a process, not an event. Without learning something, you cannot change the way think.

Everything in life starts and ends with learning, however modern day society unfortunately demands quick fixes: “I think we’ll send John on the next New Manager development programme when things get quiet later in the year – after that, I will make him a middle manager – as easy as that!”.

Unfortunately learning has always been associated with something academic, making learning in the workplace seem difficult, complicated, not timely or irrelevant. Learning however, needs to become a way of life in our organisational systems.

WHAT IS WORK – BASED LEARNING? Work – based learning brings a more balanced perspective to the development of potential managers. Work – based learning merges theory with practice and knowledge with experience. It recognises that the workplace offers as many learning opportunities for learning as the classroom.

AUTHORS

Dr. Stefan Fourie is an Organisational and Learning Development practitioner and consultant. He has written and published extensively on learning within organisations, organisational development and innovative workplace education.

Dr. Diane Bell is the director of Academic Affairs at USB–ED.

Dr. Eric Albertini is the director of Customised Programmes and Organisational Partnerships at USB–ED.

 MULTI-SKILLING in a South African context

Multi-skilling: In a South African Context has an OD perspective to multi-skilling in that it proposes new ways of thinking, managing and working, which involves CHANGE.

The book integrates theory and practice, thereby creating a framework for organisations (as well as HR and OD practitioners) wanting to implement a functional multi-skilling framework in a complex environment.

Content includes:
  • Why is multi-skilling relevant in a South African context?
  • The theory of multi-skilling
  • Where to from here?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr Stefan Fourie is an organisational and learning development consultant living in Cape Town. He holds qualifications in education and training, industrial and organisational psychology, and learning. He has 20 years’ experience both in managing learning and organisational development interventions in large organisations, as well as consulting to small, medium and large organisations throughout South Africa, other parts of Africa, and internationally.