Antonacopoulou, Elena P. (1996) A study of interrelationships : the way individual managers learn and adapt and the contribution of training towards this process. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

An enduring challenge for organisation theory and research has been the difficulty of explaining the paradoxical nature of organisations and finding ways of articulating and representing their ambiguous nature as complex social systems. There is a significant and growing need to find ways of unravelling the complex patterns of interactions between organisational sub-systems. The study of interrelationships is concerned with the way different organisational sub-systems are in dialogue with one another, how they inform and are informed and the way they affect and are affected from their interaction.

The main research question governing this study is how individual managers leam and adapt in the context of change and the perceived contribution of training and development activities to these processes. The current study has sought to examine this question by exploring the interrelationships between change, learning, training, self and career development using the individual as the unit of analysis. The study has adopted an exploratory orientation and an in- depth approach to track down the interrelationships between the chosen processes. A longitudinal approach has formed part of the research methodology as was the use of case- studies as the main research method for contextualising the analysis of the findings. The thesis presents findings from three organisations in one sector (retail banking) which are discussed in the light of the organisation and industry specific characteristics. The individual manager within each bank remains the unit of analysis, however, emphasis is placed on the interaction of individual and organisational factors to explain why relationships between processes exist, what is the value and significance attached by the individual manager to these relationships and what are the conditions which influence the nature of the interrelationships emerging from the study.

The findings of the present study show that individuals' perceptions of the nature and strength of the dual and triangular interconnections between processes are shaped by the organisational context. Moreover, the findings show how the product of the interaction between individual and organisational factors create conditions which shape the interrelationships between processes. The findings of the present study challenge some of the basic assumptions and hypotheses which have guided our understanding of the interconnections between processes so far. The focus of the current study on the individual’s perspective provides valuable insights into the difficulty of reconciling individual and organisational needs by providing a more holistic picture of the multiple factors which affect the interaction between processes. One of the most significant assumptions being challenged by the findings of the present study is the perceived linearity of the interconnection between processes. The thesis presents a map of the dynamic interaction between processes and illustrates the multifaceted and multidimensional nature of processes by uncovering additional dimensions and facets which have not previously been considered. The thesis proposes syschetic analysis as a new perspective and approach to exploring the non-linear interaction and potential integration between human and organisational systems.

Item Type:	Thesis or Dissertation (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Management -- Research, Managers -- Training of, Employee training directors
Official Date:	October 1996
Dates:	Date Event October 1996 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Warwick Business School
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Sponsors:	Warwick Business School
Extent:	xxv, 440 leaves : illustrations
Language:	eng

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