The Concept of Continuing Education in Organizations, and Its Effects on the Learning Organization Process Dr. Sinem Somunoglu, Ahmet Erdoğan Health Services Occupational School, Dr. Gokhan Ofluoglu, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, ZONGULDAK, Turkey Overview: This presentation covers continuing education in organizations, the concept of learning organization, the contribution of continuing education to the learning organization process, and the overall characteristics of the learning organization. Stream: Organisational Learning, Organisational Change

This paper was a theoretical paper rather than focused on practice and discussed some of the theory about learning organisations and continuing education. There was the usual discussion about characteristics of an organisation that claims to be a learning organisation and reasons for this such as democracy, competitiveness, a desire to improve and develop and look after the workers but also the counter argument about this being about management goals and not about workers. There was an interesting debate in the room about what individuals thought of their own institution and many felt that whilst their organisation might claim to be learning the shared vision and philosophy was imposed rather than developed together. There was also discussion of the benefits of a learning organisation and these included high satisfaction of workers and an environment where creativity and risk are cultivated.