Democratic dialogue and collective learning in the context of self-managed teams

This paper provides a longitudinal, empirical view of the multifaceted and reciprocal processes of organizational learning in a context of self-managed teams. Organizational learning is seen as a social construction between people and actions in a work setting. The notion of learning as situated (Brown & Duguid 1989, Lave& Wenger 1991, Gherardi & al. 1998, Easterby-Smith & Araujo 1999, Abma 2003) opens up the possibility for placing the focus of research on learning in the community rather than in individual learning processes. Further, in studying processes in their social context, we cannot avoid taking power relations into consideration (Contu & Willmott 2003). The study is based on an action research with a methodology close to the ‘democratic dialogue’ presented by Gustavsen (2001). This gives a ground for research into how the learning discourse developed in the case study organization over a period of 5 years, during which time the company abandoned a middle management level of hierarchy and the teams had to figure out how to work as self-managed units. This paper discusses the (re)construction of power relations and its role in organizational learning. Power relations are discussed both in vertical and horizontal work relations. A special emphasis is placed on the dialectic between managerial aims and the space for reflection on the side of employees. I argue that learning is crucial in the search for the limits for empowerment and that these limits are negotiated both in actions and speech. This study unfolds a purpose-oriented learning process, constructing an open dialogue, and describes a favourable context for creative, knowledge building communities.

Eduard Quillinan e Portugal

Até ao século XIX, o conhecimento de Portugal na Europa é essencialmente veiculado por relatos de viajantes que privilegiam os aspectos pitorescos, históricos e políticos. A LITERATURA PORTUGUESA NO ESTRANGEIRO procura destacara divulgação do nosso património literário em Inglaterra, tanto através desses relatos como de traduções. Viajante e tradutor foi Edward Quillinan. O Homem e o escritor estuda a sua vida e actividade literária em geral. Por sua vez, lembranças de Portugal isola a parte da sua obra que, de alguma maneira, incide sobre aspectos da nossa cultura. uma visão de romance analisa em pormenor a narrativa The Sisters of the Douro, onde a literatura portuguesa é pela primeira vez sistematizada por um autor britânico e de forma um tanto inesperada. Em jeito de conclusão deixa a imagem de Quillinan como lusófilo a quem um melhor conhecimento do país permitiu transmitir uma visão mais fiel, objectiva e completa da realidade e da cultura portuguesas.