A Learning Society in Scotland

Aim:

 Progressive societies are invariably underpinned by a commitment to learning and the acquisition of knowledge. The vision is for the conversations between all sections of Scottish Society, to be informed by an appreciation of modern developments in the social and organisational sciences; and for these conversations to lead to the actually application of knowledge evident in the dynamic improvement of our society’s systems.

Foundations:

• We learn through the disciplined process of identifying our underpinning theoretical assumptions and being prepared to challenge them in light of modern research.

• We apply the learning by improving the systems that define our society, our organisations and our response to our environment.

Values

We value the individual

• Their uniqueness, their intrinsic motivation, their love of learning, their diversity of views and feelings, their creativity and their willingness to take responsibility – the human spirit.
• We value relationships based on trust, respect, sincerity, courage and support.
• We value our sincerity and courage in committing to these aspirations and our honesty and fallibility when we fall short.

We value the success of our society and its organisations

• We value the success of our society and its organisations
• We measure success in many and varied ways - profit, morale, cost effectiveness, customer service, the environment, innovation, happiness of participants etc
• We recognise that “success” is intangible and only a small part can be measured.
• We value the “connectedness” of individuals plus organisations and the environment/society they operate within. (Cooperation, teamwork)
• We value the patience and perseverance to achieve results – the long term

We value applied knowledge

• We value “Knowledge” that is underpinned by theories that can be supported, updated and refuted. (Scientific Method)
• We value and recognise the more complex and rigorous nature of applied knowledge
• We value the continued and open acquisition, sharing and challenging of a diverse range of organisational theories and their application.

We value applied learning

• We value the learning secured through the application of knowledge
• That we learn in many different ways. We especially value social learning where we learn best with one another and in communities.
• We value the taking of risks in the disciplined application of knowledge. (PDSA Cycle)

We value the network of forward thinking individuals and organisations throughout Scotland

• We value the entity of the Learning Society Network, with its aim, structures, discipline and its goal of continual societal development.
• We value cooperation
• We value the balance between taking learning from the network and the contribution of learning to the network.
• We value the sound management of the network for the long term.