Quantity Versus Quality in Project Based Learning Practices

42 Pages Posted: 26 Aug 2006

See all articles by Anne Keegan

Anne Keegan

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Department of Organization and Personnel Management; Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM); University of Amsterdam

John Rodney Turner

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Erasmus School of Economics (ESE); Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM)

Date Written: 19 2000, 12

Abstract

In the midst of the turbulence wrought by the global economy, it has become common to see projects as an essential medium for achieving change. However, project based learning practices - as a subset of organizational learning practices- have not kept pace with this development. To explore this concern, we have carried out a study on practices adopted by organizations for learning through projects involving nineteen companies from across Europe and from a range of different industries. We use the concepts of variation, selection and retention in organizational learning to analyze our findings and report the challenges faced by project based organizations in each of the areas highlighted. We conclude that time pressures, centralization and deferral are the key characteristics of learning in project based firms and that these impede project based members in learning from and through projects.

Keywords: projects, organizational learning, centralization, deferral, reflection

JEL Classification: M, L2, M10, L22

Suggested Citation

Keegan, Anne and Turner, John Rodney, Quantity Versus Quality in Project Based Learning Practices (19 2000, 12). ERIM Report Series Reference No. ERS-2000-55-ORG, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=370858

Anne Keegan (Contact Author)

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Department of Organization and Personnel Management ( email )

Burg. Oudlaan 50
Room T 8-20
Rotterdam, 3062 PA
Netherlands

Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM)

P.O. Box 1738
3000 DR Rotterdam
Netherlands

University of Amsterdam ( email )

Spui 21
Amsterdam, 1018 WB
Netherlands

John Rodney Turner

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) ( email )

Burgemeester Oudlaan 50
3062 PA Rotterdam, NL 3062 PA
Netherlands

Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM)

P.O. Box 1738
3000 DR Rotterdam
Netherlands

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
406
Abstract Views
4,165
Rank
132,306
PlumX Metrics