Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T18:52:02.209Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Learning Agility: In Search of Conceptual Clarity and Theoretical Grounding

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 January 2015

D. Scott DeRue ,
Susan J. Ashford  and
Christopher G. Myers
D. Scott DeRue*
Affiliation:
University of Michigan
Susan J. Ashford
Affiliation:
University of Michigan
Christopher G. Myers
Affiliation:
University of Michigan
*
E-mail: [email protected], Address: Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, 701 Tappan Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

As organizations become more complex and dynamic, individuals' ability to learn from experience becomes more important. Recently, the concept of learning agility has attracted considerable attention from human resource professionals and consultants interested in selecting on and developing employees' ability to learn from experience. However, the academic community has been largely absent from this discussion of learning agility, and the concept remains ill defined and poorly measured. This article presents a constructive critique of the existing literature on learning agility, seeks to clarify the definition and conceptualization of the construct, and situates learning agility within a broader nomological network of related constructs. We conclude by discussing several important directions for future research on learning agility.

Type
Focal Article
Information
Industrial and Organizational Psychology , Volume 5 , Issue 3 , September 2012 , pp. 258 - 279
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology 2012 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ackerman, P. L., Beier, M. E., & Boyle, M. O. (2002). Individual differences in working memory within a nomological network of cognitive and perceptual speed abilities. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 131, 567–589. Google Scholar
Alinsky, S. D. (1971). Rules for radicals. New York, NY: Random House. Google Scholar
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (4th ed.). (2000). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.Google Scholar
Anseel, F., Lievens, F., & Schollaert, E. (2009). Reflection as a strategy to enhance task performance after feedback. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 110, 23–35. Google Scholar
Ashby, F. G., & Maddox, W. T. (2005). Human category learning. Annual Review of Psychology, 56, 149–178. Google Scholar
Ashford, S. J. (1986). Feedback-seeking in individual adaptation: A resource perspective. Academy of Management Journal, 29, 465–487. Google Scholar
Ashford, S. J., Blatt, R., & VandeWalle, D. (2003). Reflections on the looking glass: A review of research on feedback-seeking behavior in organizations. Journal of Management, 29, 773–779. Google Scholar
Ashford, S. J., & DeRue, D. S. (2012). Developing as a leader: The power of mindful engagement. Organizational Dynamics, 41, 146–154.Google Scholar
Ashford, S. J., & Tsui, A. S. (1991). Self-regulation for managerial effectiveness: The role of active feedback seeking. Academy of Management Journal, 34, 251–280. Google Scholar
Baer, M., & Oldham, G. R. (2006). The curvilinear relation between experienced creative time pressure and creativity: Moderating effects of openness to experience and support for creativity. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91, 963–970. Google Scholar
Baird, L., Holland, P., & Deacon, S. (1999). Learning from action: Imbedding more learning into the performance fast enough to make a difference. Organizational Dynamics, 27, 19–32. Google Scholar
Bandura, A., & Adams, N. E. (1977). Analysis of self-efficacy theory of behavioral change. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 1, 287–308. Google Scholar
Baron, R. A. (1999). Counterfactual thinking and venture formation: The potential effects of thinking about “what might have been.” Journal of Business Venturing, 15, 79–91. Google Scholar
Baron, R. (2006). Opportunity recognition as pattern recognition: How entrepreneurs “connect the dots” to identify new business opportunities. Academy of Management Perspectives, 20, 104–119. Google Scholar
Baron, R., & Ensley, M. (2006). Opportunity recognition as the detection of meaningful patterns: Evidence from comparisons of novice and experienced entrepreneurs. Management Science, 52, 1331–1344. Google Scholar
Barrick, M. R., & Mount, M. K. (1991). The Big Five personality dimensions and job performance: A meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 44, 1–26. Google Scholar
Barsalou, L. W. (1999). Perceptual symbol systems. Behavioral Brain Science, 22, 577–660. Google Scholar
Birdi, K., Allan, C., & Warr, P. (1997). Correlates and perceived outcomes of four types of employee development activity. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82, 845–857. Google Scholar
Blickle, G. (1996). Personality traits, learning strategies, and performance. European Journal of Personality, 10, 337–352. Google Scholar
Branscombe, N. R., Crosby, P., & Weir, J. A. (1993). Social inferences concerning male and female homeowners who use a gun to shoot an intruder. Aggressive Behavior, 19, 113–124. Google Scholar
Brett, J. M., Feldman, D. C., & Weingart, L. R. (1990). Feedback-seeking behavior of new hires and job changers. Journal of Management, 16, 737–749. Google Scholar
Brockett, R. G., & Hiemstra, R. (1991). Self-direction in adult learning: Perspectives on theory, research, and practice. New York, NY: Routledge. Google Scholar
Busato, V. V., Prins, F. J., Elshout, J. J., & Hamaker, C. (1999). The relation between learning styles, the Big Five personality traits, and achievement motivation in higher education. Personality and Individual Differences, 26, 129–140. Google Scholar
Butler, R. (1993). Effects of task- and ego-achievement goals on information seeking during task engagement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 65, 18–31. Google Scholar
Button, S. B., Mathieu, J. E., & Zajac, D. M. (1996). Goal orientation in organizational research: A conceptual and empirical foundation. Organizational Behavior & Human Decision Processes, 67, 26–48. Google Scholar
Caligiuri, P., & Tarique, I. (2009). Journal of World Business, 44, 336–346.Google Scholar
Colquitt, J. A., & Simmering, M. J. (1998). Conscientiousness, goal orientation, and motivation to learn during the learning process: A longitudinal study. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83, 654–665. Google Scholar
Connolly, J. A., & Viswesvaran, C. (2002, April). Assessing the construct validity of a measure of learning agility . Paper presented at the 17th Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Toronto, Canada.Google Scholar
Costa, P. T., & McCrae, R. R. (1992). Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO–PI–R) and NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO–FFI) professional manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources. Google Scholar
Cronbach, L. J., & Meehl, P. E. (1955). Construct validity in psychological tests. Psychological Bulletin, 52, 281–302. Google Scholar
Cronbach, L. J., & Snow, R. E. (1969). Individual differences in learning ability as a function of instructional variables. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Google Scholar
Day, D. V., Harrison, M. M., & Halpin, S. M. (2009). An integrative approach to leader development: Connecting adult development, identity, and expertise. New York, NY: Psychology Press. Google Scholar
Day, D. V., & Lance, C. E. (2004). Understanding the development of leadership complexity through latent growth modeling. In Day, D. V., Zaccaro, S. J., & Halpin, S. M. (Eds.), Leader development for transforming organizations (pp. 41–69). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Google Scholar
Deák, G. O. (2004). The development of cognitive flexibility and language abilities. Advances in Child Development, 31, 271–327. Google Scholar
Debowski, S., Wood, R. E, & Bandura, A. (2001). Impact of guided exploration and enactive exploration on self-regulatory mechanisms and information acquisition through electronic search. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86, 1129–1141. Google Scholar
De Meuse, K. P., Dai, G., Hallenbeck, G., & Tang, K. (2008). Global talent management: Using learning agility to identify high potentials around the world. Los Angeles, CA: Korn/Ferry International. Google Scholar
De Meuse, K. P. Guangrong, D., & Hallenbeck, G. S. (2010). Learning agility: A construct whose time has come. Consulting Psychology Journal, 62, 119–130. Google Scholar
Denison, D. R., Hooijberg, R., & Quinn, R. E. (1995). Paradox and performance: Toward a theory of behavioral complexity in managerial leadership. Organization Science, 6, 524–540. Google Scholar
Derry, S., & Murphy, D. (1986). Designing systems that train learning ability: From theory to practice. Review of Educational Research, 56, 1–39. Google Scholar
DeRue, D. S., & Ashford, S. J. (2010a). Power to the people: Where has personal agency gone in leadership development? Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 3, 24–27. Google Scholar
DeRue, D. S., & Ashford, S. J. (2010b). Who will lead and who will follow? A social process of leadership identity construction in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 35, 627–647. Google Scholar
DeRue, D. S., Nahrgang, J. D., Hollenbeck, J. R., & Workman, K. W. (in press). A quasi-experimental study of after-event reviews and leadership development. Journal of Applied Psychology.Google Scholar
DeRue, D. S., & Wellman, N. (2009). Developing leaders via experience: The role of developmental challenge, learning orientation, and feedback availability. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94, 859–875. Google Scholar
DeShon, R. P., & Gillespie, J. Z. (2005). A motivated action theory account of goal orientation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90, 1096–1127. Google Scholar
Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education. An introduction to the philosophy of education. New York, NY: Free Press. Google Scholar
Dragoni, L., Tesluk, P. E., Russell, J. E. A., & Oh, I. S. (2009). Understanding managerial development: Integrating developmental assignments, learning orientation, and access to developmental opportunities in predicting managerial competencies. Academy of Management Journal, 52, 731–743. Google Scholar
Dweck, C. S. (1986). Motivational processes affecting learning. American Psychologist, 41, 1040–1048. Google Scholar
Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44, 350–383. Google Scholar
Edmondson, A. C., Bohmer, R. M., & Pisano, G. P. (2001). Disrupted routines: Team learning and new technology implementation in hospitals. Administrative Science Quarterly, 46, 685–716. Google Scholar
Eichinger, R. W., & Lombardo, M. M. (2004). Learning agility as a prime indicator of potential. Human Resource Planning, 27, 12–16. Google Scholar
Eichinger, R. W., Lombardo, M. M., & Capretta, C. C. (2010). FYI for learning agility. Minneapolis, MN: Lominger International: A Korn/Ferry Company. Google Scholar
Ellis, S., & Davidi, I. (2005). After-event reviews: Drawing lessons from successful and failed experience. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90, 857–871. Google Scholar
Ellis, S., Ganzach, Y., Castle, E., & Sekely, G. (2010). The effect of filmed versus personal after-event reviews on task performance: The mediating and moderating role of self-efficacy. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95, 122–131. Google Scholar
Farr, J. L., Hofmann, D. A., & Ringenbach, K. L. (1993). Goal orientation and action control theory: Implications for industrial and organizational psychology. In Cooper, C. L. & Robertson, I. T. (Eds.), International review of industrial and organizational psychology (pp. 193–232). New York, NY: Wiley. Google Scholar
Feist, G. J. (1998). A meta-analysis of personality in scientific and artistic creativity. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 2, 290–309. Google Scholar
Fitzgerald, F. S. (1936, March/April). The crack-up. Esquire. Google Scholar
Fiol, C. M., & Lyles, M. A. (1985). Organizational learning. Academy of Management Review, 10, 803–813. Google Scholar
Fisher, M., King, J., & Tague, G. (2001). Development of a self-directed learning readiness scale for nursing education. Nurse Education Today, 21, 516–525. Google Scholar
Flavell, J. H. (1979). Metacognition and cognitive monitoring: A new area of cognitive developmental inquiry. American Psychologist, 34, 906–911. Google Scholar
Ford, J. K., Smith, E. M., Weissbein, D. A., Gully, S. M., & Salas, E. (1998). Relationships of goal orientation, metacognitive activity, and practice strategies with learning outcomes and transfer. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83, 218–233. Google Scholar
Garvin, D., Edmondson, A., & Gino, F. (2008, March). Is your organization a learning organization? Harvard Business Review, 109–116. Google Scholar
Gosling, J., & Mintzberg, H. (2003). The five minds of a manager. Harvard Business Review, 81, 54–62. Google Scholar
Hooijberg, R., Hunt, J. G., & Dodge, G. E. (1997). Leadership complexity and development of the leaderplex model. Journal of Management, 23, 375–408. Google Scholar
Hunter, J. E., (1986). Cognitive ability, cognitive aptitudes, job knowledge, and job performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 29, 340–362. Google Scholar
Hunter, J. E., & Hunter, R. F. (1984). Validity and utility of alternate predictors of performance. Psychological Bulletin, 96, 72–98. Google Scholar
Hunter, J. E., & Schmidt, F. L. (1996). Intelligence and job performance: Economic and social implications. Psychology, Public Policy and Law, 2, 447–472. Google Scholar
Johnson, M. K., & Sherman, S. J. (1990). Constructing and reconstructing the past and the future in the present. In Higgins, E. T. & Sorrentino, R. M. (Eds.), Handbook of motivation and cognition: Foundations of social behavior (Vol. 2, pp. 482–526). New York, NY: Guilford Press. Google Scholar
Kanfer, R. (1990). Motivation theory and industrial and organizational psychology. In Dunnette, M. D. & Hough, L. M. (Eds.), Handbook of industrial and organizational psychology (2nd ed., Vol. 1, pp. 75–170). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press. Google Scholar
Kanfer, R., & Ackerman, P. L. (1989). Motivation and cognitive abilities: An integrative/aptitude-treatment interaction approach to skill acquisition [Monograph]. Journal of Applied Psychology, 79, 826–835. Google Scholar
Kiesler, C. H. (1971). The psychology of commitment: Experiments linking behavior to belief. New York, NY: Academic Press. Google Scholar
King, L. A., Walker, L. M., & Broyles, S. J. (1996). Creativity and the five factor model. Journal of Research in Personality, 30, 189–203. Google Scholar
Kohn, M. L., & Schooler, C. (1978). The reciprocal effects of the substantive complexity of work and intellectual flexibility: A longitudinal assessment. American Journal of Sociology, 84, 24–52.Google Scholar
Kolb, D. A. (1976). Management and the learning process. California Management Review, 15, 20–31. Google Scholar
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Google Scholar
Kozlowski, S. W., Gully, S. M., Brown, K. G., Salas, E., Smith, E. M., & Nason, E. R. (2001). Effects of training goals and goal orientation traits on multidimensional training outcomes and performance adaptability. Organizational Behavior & Human Decision Processes, 85, 1–31. Google Scholar
Kyllonen, P. C., & Christal, R. E. (1990). Reasoning ability is (little more than) working-memory capacity. Intelligence, 14, 389–433. Google Scholar
Leavitt, P., & March, J. G. (1988). Organizational learning. Annual Review of Sociology, 14, 319–340. Google Scholar
LePine, J. A., Colquitt, J. A., & Erez, A. (2000). Adaptability to changing task contexts: Effects of general cognitive ability, conscientiousness, and openness to experience. Personnel Psychology, 53, 563–593. Google Scholar
Lewin, K. (1951). Intention, will, and need. In Rapaport, D. (Ed.), Organization and pathology of thought (pp. 95–153). New York, NY: Columbia University Press. Google Scholar
Lombardo, M. M., & Eichinger, R. W. (2000). High potentials as high learners. Human Resource Management, 39, 321–330. Google Scholar
Mandel, D. R., & Lehman, D. R. (1996). Counterfactual thinking and ascriptions of cause and preventability. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 71, 450–463. Google Scholar
March, J. G. (1991). Exploration and exploitation in organizational learning. Organization Science, 2, 71–87. Google Scholar
Markman, K. D., Gavanski, I., Sherman, S. J., & McMullen, M. N. (1993). The mental simulation of better and worse possible worlds. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 29, 87–109. Google Scholar
Matlin, M. W. (2002). Cognition. Forth Worth, TX: Harcourt College. Google Scholar
McCall, M. W., Lombardo, M. M., & Morrison, A. M. (1988). The lessons of experience: How successful executives develop on the job. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books. Google Scholar
McCauley, C. D., Ruderman, M. N., Ohlott, P. J., & Morrow, J. E. (1994). Assessing the developmental components of managerial jobs. Journal of Applied Psychology, 79, 544–560. Google Scholar
McCrae, R. R. (1987). Creativity, divergent thinking, and openness to experience. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 1258–1265. Google Scholar
McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T. Jr. (1996). Toward a new generation of personality theories: Theoretical contexts for the five-factor model. In Wiggins, J. S. (Ed.), The five-factor model of personality: Theoretical perspectives (pp. 51–87). New York, NY: Guilford. Google Scholar
McKenna, R. M., Boyd, T. N., & Yost, P. R. (2007). Learning agility in clergy: Understanding the personal strategies and situational factors that enable pastors to learn from experience. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 35, 190–201. Google Scholar
Messick, S. (1975). The standard problem: Meaning and values in measurement and evaluation. American Psychologist, 30, 955–966. Google Scholar
Morrison, E. W. (1993). Newcomer information seeking: Exploring types, modes, sources, and outcomes. Academy of Management Journal, 36, 557–589. Google Scholar
Ng, K. Y., Van Dyne, L., & Ang, S. (2009). From experience to experiential learning: Cultural intelligence as a learning capability for global leader development. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 8, 511–526. Google Scholar
Nickerson, R. S. (1998). Confirmation bias: A ubiquitous phenomenon in many guises. Review of General Psychology, 2, 175–220. Google Scholar
Noe, R. A. (2002). Employee training and development. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Google Scholar
Oddi, L. F. (1986). Development and validation of an instrument to identify self-directed continuing learners. Adult Education Quarterly, 36, 97–107. Google Scholar
Ostwald, M. (1962). Aristotle. Nicomachean ethics. Indianapolis, IN: Bobbs-Merrill. Google Scholar
Payne, S. C., Youngcourt, S. S., & Beaubien, J. M. (2007). A meta-analytic examination of the goal orientation nomological net. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92, 128–150. Google Scholar
Piaget, J. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children. New York, NY: Basic Books. Google Scholar
Pintrich, P. R., & De Groot, E. V. (1990). Motivational and self-regulated learning components of classroom academic performance. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 33–40. Google Scholar
Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J. Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88, 879–903. Google Scholar
Pokay, P., & Blumenfeld, P. C. (1990). Predicting achievement early and late in the semester: The role of motivation and use of learning strategies. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 41–50. Google Scholar
Ree, M. J., & Earles, J. A. (1991). Predicting training success: Not much more than g. Personnel Psychology, 44, 321–332. Google Scholar
Ree, M. J., Earles, J. A., & Teachout, M. S. (1994). Predicting job performance: Not much more than g. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71, 432–439. Google Scholar
Roese, N. J. (1997). Counterfactual thinking. Psychological Bulletin, 121, 133–148. Google Scholar
Ryan, J. R. (2009, February 27). Learning agility equals leadership success. BusinessWeek Online. Google Scholar
Salancik, J. R. (1977). Commitment and the control of organizational behavior and belief. In Staw, B. M. & Salancik, G. R. (Eds.), New directions in organizational behavior (pp. 1–54). Chicago, IL: St. Clair Press. Google Scholar
Sanna, L. J. (2000). Mental simulation, affect and personality: A conceptual framework. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 9, 168–173. Google Scholar
Schacter, D. L., & Addis, D. R. (2007). The cognitive neuroscience of constructive memory: Remembering the past and imagining the future. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of B: Biological Sciences, 362, 773–786. Google Scholar
Schmidt, F. L., Hunter, J. E., & Outerbridge, A. N. (1986). Impact of job experience and ability on job knowledge, work sample performance, and supervisory ratings of job performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 79, 518–524. Google Scholar
Schön, D. (1983). The reflective practioner: How professionals think in action. Surrey, UK: Ashgate. Google Scholar
Schwab, D. P. (1980). Construct validity in organizational behavior. In Cummings, L. L. & Staw, B. M. (Eds.), Research in organizational behavior (Vol. 2, pp. 3–43). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press. Google Scholar
Seijts, G. H., & Latham, G. P. (2001). The effect of distal learning, outcome, and proximal goals on a moderately complex task. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 22, 291–302. Google Scholar
Seijts, G. H., & Latham, G. P. (2005). Learning versus performance goals: When should each be used? Academy of Management Executive, 19, 124–131. Google Scholar
Shore, B. M., & Dover, A. C. (1987). Metacognition, intelligence and giftedness. Gifted Child Quarterly, 31, 37–39. Google Scholar
Spreitzer, G. M., McCall, M. W., & Mahoney, J. D. (1997). Early identification of international executive potential. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82, 6–29. Google Scholar
Swanson, H. L. (1990). Influence of metacognitive knowledge and aptitude on problem-solving. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 306–314. Google Scholar
Taylor, S. E., & Schneider, S. K. (1989). Coping and the simulation of events. Social Cognition, 7, 176–196. Google Scholar
Tett, R. P., & Burnett, D. D. (2003). A personality trait-based interactionist model of job performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88, 500–517. Google Scholar
Tett, R. P., & Guterman, H. A. (2000). Situation trait relevance, trait expression, and cross-situational consistency: Testing a principle of trait activation. Journal of Research in Personality, 34, 397–423. Google Scholar
Van Velsor, E., Moxley, R., & Bunker, K. (2004). The leadership development process. In McCauley, C. D. & Van Velsor, E. (Eds.), The Center for Creative Leadership handbook of leadership development (pp. 204–233). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Google Scholar
VandeWalle, D., Cron, W. L., & Slocum, J. W. Jr. (2001). The role of goal orientation following performance feedback. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86, 629–640. Google Scholar
VandeWalle, D., & Cummings, L. L. (1997). A test of the influence of goal orientation on the feedback-seeking process. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82, 390–400. Google Scholar
VandeWalle, D., Ganesan, S., Challagalla, G. N., & Brown, S. P. (2000). An integrated model of feedback-seeking behavior: Disposition, context, and cognition. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85, 996–1003. Google Scholar
Weick, K. E. (1993). Organizational redesign as improvisation. In Huber, G. P. & Glick, W. H. (Eds.) Organizational change and redesign (pp. 346–79). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Google Scholar
Weick, K. E. (1996). Prepare your organization to fight fires. Harvard Business Review, 74, 143–148. Google Scholar
Weick, K. E., & Sutcliffe, K. M. (2007). Managing the unexpected: Resilient performance in an age of uncertainty. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Google Scholar
Wood, R. E., Kakebeeke, B. M., Debowski, S., & Frese, M. (2000). The impact of enactive exploration on intrinsic motivation, strategy, and performance in electronic search. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 49, 263–283. Google Scholar