Chris Argyris and Library Management

1. Chris ArgyrisandLibrary Management Michael F. Bellacosa LIS 232 February 5, 2009 Dr. Katherine Shelfer

2. Key Ideas • Encouragement of individual development • Contra Taylor’s “hired hands” • People have innate motivational resources • The “Learning Organization” • Later developed and popularized by Senge • Argyris: people; Senge: systems • “Single- and Double-Loop Learning” • Single-loop: defensive; controlling; inhibitory; low-risk • Double-loop: open; reflective; creative; innovative • “Theories of Action” • Espoused Theories: what I say I’m going to do • Theories-in-use: what I do

3. Relevance to Library Management • In the context of a rapidly evolving information space libraries must be “learning organizations” • Examining assumptions and publicly testing theories against data is essential for innovation • The high degree of mutual trust required for such open reflection will be difficult to engender • Internal politics and gaps between words and deeds will increase this challenge • New organizations may need to be built rather than trying to modify the old

4. Major Works and Sources Argyris, C., & Schon, D. (1978). Organizational Learning: A theory of action perspective. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley. Argyris, C., & Schon, D. (1996). Organizational Learning II: Theory, method and practice. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley. Argyris, C. (1999). Flawed Advice and the Management Trap. New York: Oxford University Press. Sources: Business The Ultimate Resource (2006) . Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books (pp. 1180-1181) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Argyris Smith, M.K. (2001). Chris Argyris: theories of action, double-loop learning and organizational learning. The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved February 3, 2009, from http://www.infed.org/thinkers/argyris.htm