Formal Learning and Informal Learning Dissertation

Formal Learning and Informal Learning - Dissertation Example Research Design 38 3.2. Research Methodology 39 3.3. Method of Data Collection 40 3.3.1. Selection of Documents 40 3.3.2. Qualitative Research 41 3.4. Data Analysis 43 3.5. Justification of the Choice of Methodology 44 3.6. Role of the Researcher 45 3.7. ETHICAL ISSUES/CONSTRAINTS/VALUES OF THIS RESEARCH 46 3.8. Potential Value of this Research 47 Chapter 4 Findings and Discussions 48 4.0. Introduction 48 4.1. Findings and Discussions 48 4.1.1. Better Appreciation of Informal Learning in the Work Place and Central Role of Employees 49 4.1.2. The More Effective Approach 51 4.1.3. The Learning Approaches 55 4.1.4. Kinds of Information 61 4.1.5. The Factors 63 4.1.6. The Balance 64 Summary 68 Chapter 5 Conclusion, Limitations and Recommendations 69 5.0. Conclusion 70 5.1. Limitations/Possibilities 72 5.2. Recommendations 72 References: 75 Appendix 1 81 Fig. 1 p. 6 Fig. 2 p. 14 Fig. 3 p. 21 Fig. 4 p. 30 Fig. 5 p. 49 Table 1 p. 16 Chart 1 p. 55 Chart 2 p. 56 Chart 3 p. 57 Chart 4 p. 58 Ch art 5 p.59 Chart 6 p. 61 Chart 7 p.62 Chapter 1 Introduction 1.0. Introduction Globalisation opens a new a paradigm in the economic interactions among nations around the globe (Fisher, 2003). Generally, this unique phenomenon enables people across the globe to access services and goods from different countries with ease (Soros, 2002), thus, paving fro exchanges not only for goods and services, but also of ideas, knowledge and identity as greater mobility are experienced by people (Peet, 2003; Suarez-Orozco and Qin-Hilliard, 2004). In addition, globalisation creates tougher competition in the global market economy, challenging organisations to continuously come up with products and services that genuinely respond to the changing needs and demands of the 21st century clients (Suarez-Orozco and Qin-Hilliard, 2004). Responding to the challenge pose by globalisation, firms have come up with strategies and developments that will endow organisations with the opportunity in creating a niche and surviving the stringent global market competition. One of the most noteworthy development in the recent period is the recognition of the central importance of the role of employees in attaining the goals of the company (Armstrong, 2006). The human factor in the organisation is deemed as the human capital essential for the success of the organisation (Beer et al., 1984; Bontis et al., 1999; Caldwell, 2004; de Meneses and Woods, 2008; Ramirez, Guy, and Beale 2007). In effect, the collective knowledge, skills, learning, abilities and experiences that are deployed by the employees in the performance of their functions is crucial for the success of the firm and a primary source of the organisation’s strategic advantage (Armstrong, 2006). As such, in the last few decades, much scholarly work have been undertaken to elucidate the various concepts that are inherent in human capital . One of the subject matters that have been given ample consideration is learning in the workplace . Learning is considered as a spectrum of formal learning, informal learning and non-formal learning (Cook and Smith, 2004). A person may move from one section of the spectrum to another without diminishing the significance and influence of learning and its consequences to the individual. This is possible because learning is a process of awareness, reflection, association and application that involves transforming experience and knowledge into functional learning