The role of self-transcending knowledge in Senge’s understanding of learning organizations
- Author(s)
- Alexander Kaiser, Markus F. Peschl
- Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of self-transcending knowledge as one of P. Senge's common themes underpinning his five disciplines approach. It will be shown that the notions of vision, purpose and transcendence, especially self-transcendence are closely related to each other. However, the aspect of self-transcendence has not been covered well yet in the existing literature. That is why this paper is guided by the following research question: What does a consolidated, integrative and interdisciplinary concept of self-transcending knowledge look like, and what are its defining and unifying features and characteristics with respect to learning organizations? Design/methodology/approach This conceptual paper draws on (both theoretical and empirical) interdisciplinary evidence from a wide variety of fields, such as organization studies, psychology, philosophy, learning organizations, cognitive science and innovation studies. Key authors from the field of self-transcending knowledge and their approaches will be discussed to develop a unified interdisciplinary concept of self-transcending knowledge and its possible applications, which will be demonstrated in a case study. Findings Self-transcending knowledge turns out to be central in the fields of learning (organizations) and innovation, as it deals with future-oriented knowledge that is "not yet", that transcends the boundaries of existing knowledge. It is based on self-detachment, the notion of potentials and the insight that novel knowledge is not only the result of a creative agent (or organization) but also can be found and cocreated through an attentive search in an unfolding reality. Originality/value Existing literature in the field of P. Senge's five disciplines (and beyond) does not offer a comprehensive concept of self-transcending knowledge. This paper addresses this issue by bringing together approaches from a wide range of fields related to this concept; it develops an interdisciplinary and coherent notion and taxonomy of self-transcending knowledge and shows its impact for learning organizations and innovation.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Philosophy, Vienna Cognitive Science Hub
- External organisation(s)
- Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien (WU)
- Journal
- Learning Organization
- Volume
- 27
- Pages
- 1-13
- No. of pages
- 13
- ISSN
- 0969-6474
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1108/TLO-06-2020-0110
- Publication date
- 10-2020
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 503032 Teaching and learning research, 603124 Theory of science
- Keywords
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Education, Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management
- Portal url
- https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/the-role-of-selftranscending-knowledge-in-senges-understanding-of-learning-organizations(715ea78f-1501-4bbf-9ee2-f8031335d997).html