Management School holds Organisational Learning, Knowledge and Capabilities Conference
Delegates from across the world, including academics, doctoral students and independent researchers, attended the Management School’s 2018 Organisational Learning, Knowledge and Capabilities (OLKC) Conference which took place from Thursday 26th April to Friday 27th April at the Hilton Hotel, Liverpool.
The evening before the conference, delegates were invited to attend a welcome event at the World Museum which included a drinks reception and a talk from local historian, Ken Pye. There was also a private viewing of the famous Terracotta Warriors which have recently arrived in Liverpool.
The theme throughout the conference was ‘Learning to make a difference’ which ties in with the School’s mission and explored three distinct elements; student experience, Faculty research and the impact of research on society.
Over the course of the two days attendees heard from keynote speakers including Professor Hans Berends, Professor of Innovation and Organization at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Professor Mary Crossan, Professor of General Management & Strategy. There were also a number of breakout sessions which addressed the theme of the conference.
The International Action Learning Research and Practice (ALR&P) community ran an Action Learning Symposium as part of the event which discussed how connections facilitated through action learning across unusual boundaries can help address wicked problems. The ALR&P conference has previously ran as an independent event biannually since 2006 as a forum for sharing experience, insights and questions from working with action learning.
In conjunction with the OLKC conference, The Learning Organization (TLO) journal will publish a special issue that includes papers submitted to and presented at the conference which contribute to our understanding of organizational learning and/or learning organisations.
Ossie Jones, Professor of Entrepreneurship, commented on the event, “Over 180 delegates attended OLKC2018 and they contributed to a very successful conference by attending the various tracks and workshop as well as participating in the social activities. Professors Hans Berends and Mary Crossan provided two stimulating keynote speeches that were much appreciated by all those who attended their sessions. The doctoral day, which preceded the main conference, attracted over 30 delegates who also contributed to the vibrant atmosphere of OLKC2018.”