Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Mohammad Ali Nadi ¹
• Mohammad Yarmohammadian ²

¹ Assistant Professor, Educational Administration, Islamic Azad University, Khorasgan Branch, Isfahan, Iran

² Associate Professor, Educational Planning, Health Management and Economic Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: The concept of organizational learning capability (OLC) emphasizes the
importance of facilitating factors for organizational learning or the organizational propensity to learn. Consequently, measures of OLC have traditionally determined their dimensions or facilitating factors based on the literature. The purpose of this study was to validate and evaluate the factorial construction of OLC among the faculty members of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Methods: This was an applied, psychometric, cross-sectional research during the educational year of 2010-2011. The study sample consisted of 220 randomly selected faculty members of
Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Data was collected by the OLC scale developed by Chiva et al. in 2007. The collected data was analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS 18 . Confirmatory factor analysis was also conducted in LISREL8.5 . Results: The model had an acceptable fitting for purpose based on GFI, AGFI, RMSEA, and CFI indices. All the estimated parameters had statistically significant effects on their related factors. The model enjoyed an appropriate level of reliability (total reliability = 0.93). The convergent validity between factors of the scale was confirmed by using correlation coefficients (0.41 to 0.75). In addition, table of norms (Z and T) provided crude and ranking scores.
Conclusion: The confirmed measurement scale for organizational learning capability could be implemented as an audit tool. Thus, presidents, deans and managers of departments could unveil weak and strong organizational learning issues. Such a process would finally lead to improved performance of the university.

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Keywords

• Organizational Learning
• Universities
• Faculty