Organizational Learning Mechanisms and Managers’ Perceived Uncertainty

Abstract

The present study examined the relations between perceived environmental/technological uncertainty among managers and intensity of use of organizational learning mechanisms. Confirming the research hypotheses, negative relations were found between the intensity of use of each of the five factors of organizational learning mechanisms (formal learning processes, information dissemination, training, information gathering, information storage and retrieval) and perceived environmental/technological uncertainty. These correlations were higher in the organizations that function under uncertain as opposed to certain environments. Finally, when perceived uncertainty was regressed on the five factors of organizational learning mechanisms, information gathering came out with a positive regression weight, that is, when organizational learning mechanisms like information dissemination, training or information storage and retrieval are held constant, information gathering is positively related to uncertainty.