Abstract
South African Technical (SAT) is an Aircraft Maintenance and Repair
Organisation. SAT provides a wide range of services to its customers, ranging
from minor- to major maintenance schedules. Technological advances in the
global aircraft repair and maintenance industry combined with the transition to a
democratic government and the resultant effects of globalisation introduced the
organisation to a process of change with an impetus on efficiency and
competitiveness.
The focus of this study is to understand how the SAT training department could
contribute to organisational change towards a learning organisation. This
research articulates that only employees who are educationally, socially and
mentally prepared for a changing workplace will be able to reap the benefits from
global integration. It is further reasoned that the best-placed organisations in the
global context will be those that are able to adapt to the learning organisation
vision. People in learning organisations continually expand their capacity to
create the results they truly desire, they nurture new and expansive patterns of
thinking and they continually explore learning together.
This study was placed within a qualitative research paradigm. A
phenomenological design presented the study with opportunities to analyse,
interpret, and describe the perceptions, feelings and experiences of the
participants. Eight semi-structured individual interviews provided data for the
purposes of this study. The data was analysed to identify categories, themes and
sub-themes. The five main themes discussed were organisational learning,
organisational culture, organisational change, globalisation and knowledge
management. They were linked to the theory of learning organisations and were
based on the findings of the data.
Dr. K. Steenekamp
Prof. K.C. Moloi