Learn-how to improve collaboration and performance
By: Ingrid M. Nembhard, Anita L. Tucker, Richard M.J. Bohmer, Joseph H. Carpenter, Jeffrey D. Horbar
Contributors: Tucker, Anita L.; Bohmer, Richard M. J.; Carpenter, Joseph H.; Horbar, Jeffrey D.; Harvard Business School
Edition: 2nd rev.
Series: Working paper / Harvard Business School -- 08-002; Working paper (Harvard Business School) -- 08-002
Publisher: Harvard Business School
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Boston]
Number of pages: 32
Description: Organizational learning, a prerequisite for high performance in dynamic environments, is a challenge for many organizations. One set of activities shown to improve organizational learning of new work practices is learn-how. Learn-how refers to learning activities that combine experimentation, adaptation-in-use, and staff participation (e.g. dry runs). This paper proposes that organizations that use learn-how not only experience project-level success with the implementation of new work practices, but also organizational-level success as indicated by overall measures of performance. We tested our hypotheses in a longitudinal study of 23 hospital neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) involved in a quality improvement collaborative. The results support our hypothesis that learn-how is positively related to organizational performance, as measured by NICUs' risk-adjusted mortality rates for 1061 infant-patients. Moreover, our data reveal that interdisciplinary collaboration mediates this relationship and has a more positive relationship to performance for organizations that perform more complex tasks. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Notes: "Revised February 2009"--Publisher's website.

Originally published as: Improving patient outcomes: the effects of staff participation and collaboration in healthcare delivery / Ingrid M. Nembhard, Anita L. Tucker, Jeffrey D. Horbar, Joseph H. Carpenter. c2007.

Includes bibliographical references.