Competing through Knowledge: Building a Learning Organisation

by Madhukar Shukla

In todayÆs turbulent business environment, the conventional bases of competitive strategy are increasingly being eroded. In such an environment, the ability to generate and acquire new knowledge is becoming an essential prerequisite for success. This emerging paradigm of business treats knowledge and learning as the singular basis not only for competitive success, but also for corporate survival. Most books on the subject adopt either one of two mutually exclusive approachesùthe first places emphasis on learning as an activity internal to the organization, while the second views learning as a resource to be leveraged by the organization. In Competing Through Knowledge, the first to emanate from India on the subject, Dr. Madhukar Shukla integrates both these approaches and focuses not only on how organizations learn, but also on how they can (and do) use knowledge and learning as strategic weapons to transform their operating paradigms. Beginning with a discussion on the radical changes taking place in the Indian business environment and the need for Indian organizations to develop learning capabilities, the first part of the book provides a framework to understand the dynamics of knowledge-based competition. The second part details six case studies of organizations that have encouraged learning and have utilized knowledge as a competitive asset. Generalizing from these cases, which also serve as benchmarks, the third and last part discusses the architecture of a learning organization and the qualitative shift required in the organization paradigm. Illustrating the ideas and concepts with real-life examples and case studies, including several from India, this book demonstrates the applicability of the new paradigm of the learning organization in the changing Indian business environment. This extremely readable book will appeal to CEOs, practicing managers, human resource professionals, and management consultants. It will also serve as supplementary reading for courses on the learning organization, strategic management, and organizational change.

334 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1997