LO comprises of a number of learning drivers that affect an organisation’s ability to persist at working towards achieving a goal, and creating new techniques and methodologies, particularly over extended periods of time (Jeffrey, 2009; Çömez & Kitapçi, 2016). It
comprises the sharing of information regarding “customer needs, market changes, and competitor actions” that contributes to the development of broadcasting strategies that position CRS with a competitive advantage (Martinette et al., 2014:780). The driving forces discussed below are a shared vision, commitment to learning, open-mindedness and knowledge sharing.
2.7.1 Shared vision
Shared vision focuses on learning in a context where much information and knowledge is available (Day & Institute, 1991). Stations, as a whole need to have a clearly articulated vision (Abbasi et al., 2015) in order to ensure that everyone in the stations works towards this set vision. In the context of CRS, a shared vision can be in the form of day-to-day operational activities in a community station. This can also be in the form of broadcasting, administrative and managerial activities. Parsons (2002) describes a shared vision as referring to shared values and mutual goals and understanding in a cooperative relationship. The realisation of shared vision in CRS, where the station manager often assumes multiple managerial roles that may gravitate towards authoritative tendencies, may be compromised as the station manager pursues personal will at the expense of collective interests. Even though motivation to learn exists, necessary learning from provided information and knowledge may not occur due to a lack of direction (Cho et al., 2013; Çömez & Kitapçi, 2016). Therefore, a shared vision is important because it provides a direction for what should be learned (Sinkula, Baker & Noordewier, 1997; Abbasi et al., 2015).
A shared vision must consider the employees involved in the organisation. Small organisations must make sure that all team members actively participate in continuous learning of their duties in order to contribute to the stations’ vision. This indicates that a shared vision provides CRS employees with a sense of purpose and direction, and embodies the common value of dyadic relationships of managers and subordinates (Wang & Rafiq, 2009). Yet developing a shared vision depends on the leadership style of the managers and the extent of cooperation of subordinates. The lack of shared vision between employees and managers indeed undermines possibilities of cooperation
(Boddy, Macbeth & Wagner, 2000). Nonetheless, lack of cooperation among subordinates may not be intentional and based on ulterior motives of sabotage but may arise from confusion around goals pursued and the lack of sufficient knowledge of expectations from senior management. Thus, Nybakk (2012) suggests that planned processes are vital for an organisation to get to a point where they have a shared vision.
Organisations are increasingly pressured towards improved responsiveness and flexibility, which coupled with the quickening rate of changes in the media industry, leads them to pursue goals that are often too complex or multifaceted for individual accomplishment (Mitchell et al., 2012). Therefore, senior management must continuously communicate its goals to employees and guide them on how to achieve these goals and harness resources towards their attainment. Chang, Huang (2012) and Martinette et al. (2014) stress that community radio members who have a shared vision possess the same perception about how to integrate strategic resources and how to interact with each other. Moreover, Salas, Cooke, and Rosen (2008) suggest that organisations are relying more on teamwork to achieve valued outcomes as teams that possess a shared vision, provide an opportunity for a broad range of relevant skills to be directed towards interdependent and difficult tasks.
2.7.2 Commitment to learning
Commitment to learning is an organisational value that focuses on the likelihood that the organisation will encourage learning (Sinkula et al., 1997). It considers placing importance on learning to search for new information and create new knowledge that is valuable to the organisation (Sinkula et al., 1997). The commitment to learning is indeed critical for organisational sustainability, but the search for information is a consequence of human endeavour and the role of technology in enabling such access cannot be understated given the networking and crowdsourcing capabilities of technology. Commitment to learning is likely to foster a learning climate (Tobin, 1994) that enables stations to use information from a number of entities such as listeners to improve broadcasting, sales and maintain a large listenership (Nybakk, 2012; Çömez & Kitapçi, 2016; Motsepe & Fatoki, 2017). Correspondingly, Pedder and MacBeath (2008) point out that LO allows
learning, constructive-engagement among community stations’ employees and enables employees to ‘see’ emergent trends in the external environment. Thus, continuous learning enables community radio employees to position both the station and themselves in a competitive valuable position in this ever-changing and competitive industry.
The provision of a conducive learning environment is essential here. Providing a learning- friendly environment is crucial because the more the organisation encourages learning at the organisational level, the more learning will occur throughout the organisation (Sinkula et al., 1997; Nybakk, 2012; Çömez & Kitapçi, 2016). However, CRS require competent employees in order to learn and interpret new market information, and discern technology changes from the external environment (Birdthistle & Fleming, 2005; Casey, 2005; Abbasi et al., 2015) and promote CBT. Additionally, the integration of on-air and online resources is a social practice that community radio employees have to contend with (Nevill, 2017) meaning that the definition of competent employees has changed drastically in the last two decades. For that reason, employees of community stations not only need to have the capability to process information efficiently but to create new knowledge faster than other competitors (Huang & Wang, 2011). Therefore, there is need for both employees and stations to be open-minded and flexible in their fulfilment of organisational processes.
2.7.3 Open-mindedness
Open-mindedness is defined as a willingness to question one’s own position and find evidence against one’s beliefs or perspectives (Sinkula et al., 1997) regarding inter- team dynamics. Calantone et al. (2002) also define open-mindedness as the willingness to critically evaluate existing routines in an organisation and to accept new ideas. The suggestion is that open mindedness hinges on one’s capacity to self-reflect and ‘take a step back’ in the evaluation of one’s own views as well as appreciate alternative viewpoints. In other words, open-mindedness relates to the extent that the organisational members can avoid being trapped in processes already being used, how often they think flexibly, and how active they are in accommodating new knowledge and ideas (Baker & Sinkula, 1999; Abbasi et al., 2015). Finally, in the context of CRS, open-mindedness can
include using newer technologies, modernising traditional ways of broadcasting and accommodating new concepts of operating.
Open-mindedness has its key characteristics and benefits. West, Borrill, Dawson, Brodbeck, Shapiro and Haward (2003) argue that open-mindedness leads to enhanced performance, effective problem solutions and better decision-making. It is reflected in shared beliefs about how team members should respond to the divergent perspectives and positions of each other (Mitchell et al., 2012). It enables employees from different backgrounds and with different ideas to come together in order to create successful community stations. Open-mindedness can also facilitate the development of effective problem solutions in professionally diverse groups (Mitchell et al., 2012) such as CRS, which can have experienced people in management positions working with novice broadcasters behind the microphone. Finally, if an organisation does not have the open- mindedness to question and correct outdated procedures, it may continue to operate inefficiently and ineffectively (Senge, 1992; Martinette et al., 2014).
2.7.4 Knowledge sharing
Verdonschot (2005) indicates that the processes of LO involve key components that support knowledge productivity processes, which include searching for information, assimilating, developing and creating new knowledge on products, processes and services. This means that CRS need to draw on the experiences of other community stations and tap into the vast knowledge of commercial stations to ensure that they continue to learn and improve the calibre of the service they provide to their communities.
Furthermore, these radio stations need to share the acquired knowledge internally through conversations and interactions among employees (Abbasi et al., 2015). This entails community station employees coming together in order to share knowledge that they would have acquired in their broadcasting careers with those around them. Buckley (2012) emphasises this in the observation that it is critical to have a culture of knowledge sharing as free-flowing conversations, open dialogue across organisational boundaries and team and network building are important mechanisms for the creation of high levels
of innovation and learning. Wenger (2004) postulates further that one way to share knowledge is through a community of practice, which he describes as groups of people who come together voluntarily, both face-to-face and virtually, to share and to learn from one another. Therefore, various CRS can form these practices by coming together, physically and virtually, in order to share their knowledge and experiences regarding how they overcame difficulties in this ever-changing industry.
2.8 CONTRIBUTION OF LEARNING ORIENTATION TO ORGANISATIONAL