Theorising Organisational Learning and the Impact of Information Systems: Talcott Parsons, Anthony Giddens and Niklas Luhmann

The concept of organisational learning has been approached from various perspectives and the consequent fragmentation in the literature has been criticized due to the lack of understanding in the social nature of knowledge work. In this paper it is contended that the current approach to the design of information systems with respect to organisational learning is somewhat limited and that social aspects of the nature of organisational learning and organisational knowledge are not explicitly considered. By reviewing three alternative approaches to understanding social organisation, this paper argues that a synthesis of these different orientations can provide a basis for information systems design that is more encompassing of the social nature of organisational learning and organisational knowledge