Learning Organization

A LearningOrganization is an organization that

has an inbuilt feedback cycle, and
where all staff are empowered to instigate change.

Measurement is inbuilt into the organization's processes and used as a ProcessImprovementTool?

for determining the success or failure of processes and seeks to derived new approaches designed for success

Modifications to processes

initially occur within one small group or location, and, if successful, are
propagated to other parts of the organization.

Changes in roles and processes are instigated in response to regular reviews.

There are many sources of information on learning organizations. I'm not sure if the above description fits into what some of the more popular books on the subject proclaim. (They tend to be more "blue sky")

The description offered above does not pretend to fit what popular books proclaim. It is a description of the structure and processes which will help an organization "learn".

Probably the most popular one is: TheFifthDiscipline

A LearningOrganization needs to actualize LessonsFromFailure as well as LessonsFromSuccess?. See a free 35 page Harvard Business School paper::

http://www.hbs.edu/research/facpubs/workingpapers/papers2/0304/04-053.pdf

When a given organizational scheme starts to work and such companies show a clear growing trend over competitors, then other companies and investment groups will start to adopt or enforce such techniques. Until then, it will only be considered an experiment, or yet-another-management-fad.