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The Implication of Shared Practices on Public Servants’ Workplace Learning Dr. Wen-Bing Gau Dr. Booker Chi-Kang Liaw Working, Knowing and Learning • According to Araujo (1998), working, knowing, learning and innovating are blurred activities that are “embedded in situated practices and are coextensive” (p.317). • Based on negotiable interactions, people build their own representations of knowledge and at the same time help other members in the group to understand the context, the content and the process of the knowledge. Workplace learning • According to Forrester (2005), workplace learning is strongly associated with societal concerns, which is not only for the purpose of enhancing employability, but also of identifying the notions of independence, participation, and shared identity. • “learning becomes part of work and working contributes to the knowledge and skill base” (Jubas et al., 2006). Communities of practice • Members get together for the purpose of taking a rest or having fun. • They have common topics to discuss. • Because of different degrees of understanding, people can broaden their horizons by way of sharing experiences. • The communities do not focus on certain skills or knowledge and they do not impose the stress of exchanging knowledge on members. • Because of the relaxed atmosphere, participants do not mind revealing themselves to other members. The researchers attempt to answer the following questions: • (1) How do the public servants in Taiwan engage in workplace learning during the process of dealing with tasks? • (2) What does shared practice mean with the respect to the concept of Communities of Practice? Interviewees • 48 interviewees who were public servants in 17 departments of the central government were recruited • Worked in the central part of Taiwan. • most viewpoints in this study were from 10 similar departments including 22 interviewees. Other colleagues’ experiences referring to the particular learning features of each organization were also used to strengthen the arguments derived from data analysis. Table 1: Details of interviewees Name Age Service years Ms. G 42 19 Ms. F 48 21 Ms. Q 31 9 Ms. O 37 12 Mr. X 43 19 Mr. W 46 23 Ms. P 47 22 Mr. P 36 13 Mr. M 39 15 Mr. L 40 18 Mr. J 58 33 Mr. S 51 25 Mr. O 46 20 Ms. N 34 9 Mr. F 31 8 Ms. L 43 18 Mr. B 32 10 position Subordinate Supervisor Subordinate Subordinate Subordinate Supervisor Subordinate Subordinate Subordinate Subordinate Supervisor Supervisor Subordinate Subordinate Subordinate Subordinate Subordinate Org. D3 D3 D6 D6 D6 D6 D6 D7 D9 D9 D9 D10 D11 D12 D14 D14 D16 Mr. D 38 14 Subordinate D16 Ms. E 38 13 Subordinate D16 Ms. G 50 28 Subordinate D17 Ms. C 53 22 Subordinate D17 Mr. A 54 25 supervisor D17 Remark Personnel department Personnel department Personnel department Personnel department Personnel department Training department Training department Planning department Personnel office Personnel office Observation & semi-structured interview • Particular working processes were observed so that different ideas from varied departments referring to specific practices were collected. • In order to probe the causes of sharing practices in depth, the semi-structured interview method were employed. • All the interviews were tape-recorded and were between 1 to 2 hours in duration. • The data collected from the field work were transcribed before being categorized and subjected to analysis. Data analysis Raw data Reflecting on my understanding Categories Mr. X: ‘We do not This seems similar to the situation in the Self-discipline ask for overtime pay, private sector, but this is not a general even if it is necessary situation in the TPG. How does it come about to work overtime’. that individuals in the group are so concerned with self-discipline? And can this motivation also be found in communities of practice? Mr. W: A function of the “self-expectation” is to Self-expectation ‘ “self-expectation” motivate the individual, and the result of the Common vision impels employees to motivating can lead to a positive result. Mr. Positive strive upward’ W seemed to make a general statement that the result is good for both the individual him or herself and the organisation. It seems to imply that a subtle element bridges individuals’ expectation with the common vision of the organisation. Because Mr. W and Mr. X had similar attitudes to work, I am not sure whether or not their value systems have also been unified by this element. motivation Value system How do the public servants in Taiwan engage in workplace learning during the process of dealing with tasks? Shared practices Shared Official business Practices Archive system Organizational routines The three stages of shared practice Official business Archive system Organizational routines Implication on interaction Helping with each other to get job done / exchanging expertise Reviewing previous performances to find out solutions / fusion of experiences The organization has readymade solutions for everydaytasks. Individuals and groups are unconsciously affected by regular interactions Implication on interaction Implication on learning Helping with each other to get job done / exchanging expertise Learning is compelled to happen / Individuals are spontaneously involved in learning process Reviewing previous performances to find out solutions / fusion of experiences Knowledge base is ready to use / documentary knowledge base & living knowledge base The organization has readymade solutions for everydaytasks. Individuals and groups are unconsciously affected by regular interactions To learn or not to learn / members sharpen their expertises and learn how to manage organizational resources / The organization keep updating its formal and informal knowledge bases • What does shared practice mean with the respect to the concept of Communities of Practice? Implication on learning Reflecting on CoPs Learning is compelled to happen / Individuals are spontaneously involved in learning process A liberal environment / task orientation Knowledge base is ready to use / documentary knowledge base & living knowledge base Learning by networking To learn or not to learn / members sharpen their expertises and learn how to manage organizational resources / The organization keep updating its formal and informal knowledge bases Too loose to keep learning Knowledge is stored in the process of sharing practices Daily sense making activities Routines can be structured to HRD need Conclusion – individual level • Individuals’ interpretation of their own experiences depends on their attitudes to shared practices. • When the practice depends on how hard the individual interact with the documentary or living knowledge base, it is the individual who can totally manage his or her own learning. • When the practice is derived from organizational routines, the individual may sharpen his or her expertise unwittingly and it is also possible that people may rely on the ready-made solutions too much to re-examine their established understandings. Conclusion – organizational level • Because the practices come from the formal assignment, different levels of learning may occur. • Members sharpen their expertises and learn how to manage organizational and interpersonal resources through interacting with official business, archive system and organizational routines. • Because the communication is open, the organization can keep updating its formal and informal knowledge bases, such as archive system or organizational routines, in order to adjust itself to changes.