The case of labein

PATHS TO BE A RTO1 AS LEARNING ORGANIZATION: THE CASE OF LABEIN

Javier Ruiz jruiz@labein.es Alfonso Longo LABEIN Technological Centre longo@labein.es Antonio Linares EVOCALIA alinares@evocalia.com LABEIN Technological Centre

Description of the case of a research and technology centre during its transformation as a learning organisation. What was originally known as competence managementproject by the human resources service becomes a process of “alteration” in the life of the organisation in order to accelerate internal and external learning with strategic customers and partners. The reasons for the project set out the chronology of a number of significant events within the process. One core feature to create, share and use knowledge is the “construction of high-performance teams”within the organisational units. To this end contexts are created to improve conversational skills, set out the perspectives of group dynamics, and enhance individual leadership qualities through coaching. The case described sets out a number of factors determining the way in which research organisations learn, the difficulties they face, and some of the cultural archetypes.

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RTO: Researchand Technology Organization

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A Symphony of Innovation: Leveraging Complexity to Create Knowledge and Confidence The 2nd SOL Global Forum, Vienna, Austria, 13th – 16th September, 2005

Keywords Knowledge creation and sharing in research and technology organizations, learning and leadership, technology enabling knowledge, case study LABEIN.

1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Management trends in RTOsResearch and technology organisations in Europe form a heterogeneous set of centres from the point of view of their origin, evolution and funding. However, they all operate in the so-called "Research, development and innovation System". These systems, in constant transformation, evolve into a new distribution of responsibilities in the generation and transfer of scientific and technologicalknowledge. Some of the features and trends that occur in the external setting include globalisation of R&D and intensification of competition. To respond to this, alliances, mergers and takeovers of RTOs are now a reality (2). Particularly, changes introduced by the new instruments of the VI Framework Programme, geared towards the creation of the European Research Area (ERA). Therefore, acceleration oftechnological cycles, dominated by large multinational companies. Finally, coordination vs competition of regional, national and European public efforts in Research(i). From the point of view of the internal response of research and technology organisations, mention must be made of two concepts of interest, or management models which have been present in them over the last few decades. Firstly,technology management as a strategic paradigm has been a basic reference factor for RTOs for more than two decades now(ii). Secondly, quality management was a movement of mobilisation and transformation in the 90s. Standardisation processes according to quality management standards such as ISO 9000, ISO 17025
2 DEKKER J.;"RTO Perspectives on Internationalisation"; EARTO Conference;Graz, April 19th2002

Paths to be a learning organization: the case of labein

and others are very internal resource hungry and boost the existence of a common language, trust and transparency in dealings with the world of industry( iii , iv ). The EFQM management excellence model is a reference used when RTOs seek to benchmark themselves for best practices in management ( v ). However, nowadays neither ofthe above concepts enjoy the power of mobilisation and transformation that "knowledge management" has. This emerging approach seeks to be an internal response to external change that takes place in the migration of the industrial society to knowledge-based society. 1.2 Context of LABEIN as RTO LABEIN is a Technological Research Centre, created in 1955 in Bilbao. Its legal status is a non-profit...