Parallel Learning Structure (Collateral Organization)

What is Parallel Learning Structure

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The concept of parallel learning structures was introduced by Dale Zand in 1974 Parallel learning structures co exist with the formal organizational structures These structures are formed to solve the problems that remain unresolved by the formal structures The parallel learning structure is also known as the collateral organization The collateral organization consists of a steering committee and several working groups who study the organization and identify the changes to be implemented. It is an OD intervention which involves the creation of a parallel and coexisting organization which supplements the formal structures. This collateral structure enables an organization to manage change and innovation without disrupting the formal structures and mechanism needed to managing more repetitive tasks (Buch and Aldrich, 1999). This intervention is applied when organization process through the downsizing operations. These newly formed structures are small and represent the cross section of the organization. They follow the norms, opposite to organizational norms. Groups are working in tandem and with synergy. Communication channels are not restricted. Collateral organization is well versed to run with innovation with its liberal organizational character. It is consist of a steering committee and a number of working groups that study what changes are needed in the organization, make recommendations for improvement, and monitor the resulting change efforts.

Parallel Learning Structures (also known as Communities of Practice) promote innovation and change in large bureaucratic organizations while retaining the advantages of bureaucratic design. Groups representing various levels and functions work to open new channels of communication outside of and parallel to the normal, hierarchical structure. Parallel Learning Structures may be a form of Knowledge Management. Knowledge Management involves capturing the organization's collective expertise wherever it resides (in databases, on paper, or in people's heads) and distributing it to the people who need it in a timely and efficient way. A highly participative arrangement composed of people from most levels of the organization who follow the action research model to produce meaningful organization.

When to use Parallel Learning Structure To develop and implement organization-wide innovations. To foster innovation and creativity within a bureaucratic system. To support exchange of knowledge and expertise among performers. To capture organizations collective expertise.

How to use Parallel Learning Structure

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Look for existing, informal exchanges that naturally occur among staff members. Have interested parties convene and develop a mission statement or list the outcomes. Determine what support would facilitate the information exchange and learning. Publicize when and where the exchanges take place. Establish a process for organizing and recording the corporate knowledge.

Strategy
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Parallel structures help people break free of the normal constraints imposed by the organization, engage in genuine inquiry and experimentation, and initiate needed changes. Parallel learning groups are comprised of individuals with various backgrounds or expertise that operate via minimal to no supervision within an existing hierarchical structure. These groups do not follow the traditional bureaucratic design of change management within the existing organization but instead are designed to operate parallel to the existing structure or organizational design. It is expected that all participants openly contribute, without fear or organizational retaliation, to identify issues and implement change.

Advantages of Learning Structure

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Parallel

One of the greatest advantages of adopting a parallel learning structure is that it brings underutilized but talented employees to the forefront. In traditional bureaucratic business' hierarchy structures, some employees may not feel motivated to put their best ideas out there, for fear of a supervisor "stealing" credit or because they feel the company doesn't compensate them well enough for a wholehearted creative contribution. By contrast, a parallel learning structure gives credit where it's due, and employees who frequently contribute to the group learning environment are in a perfect position for performance incentive rewards, be it a raise or a promotion.

Why Parallel Learning Structure exist?

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Parallel learning structures, specially created organizational structures for planning and guiding change programs, constitute another important foundation of organization development. Dale had introduced this concept in 1974 under the label collateral organization and defined it as a supplemental organization coexisting with the usual formal organization. the purpose of the collateral organization is to deal with "ill-structured" problems the formal organization is unable to resolve. Considerable experimentation with collateral organizations occurred in the 1970s and1980s. In essence, parallel structures are a vehicle for learning how to change the system, and then leading the process. The charge to members of the parallel learning structure is to think and behave in ways that are different from the normal roles and rules of the organization. Bushe and Shani say: The key thing about parallel structures is that they create a bounded space and time for thinking, talking, deciding, and acting differently than normally takes place at work. If you dont implement different norms and procedures, you dont have a parallel structure. The most important and difficult task for the people creating the parallel learning structure is to create a different culture within it. It isnt the supplemental structure thats important. Whats important is that people act in a way that promotes learning and adaptation. Parallel structures help people break free of the normal constraints imposed by the organization, engage in genuine inquiry and experimentation, and initiate needed changes. Parallel learning structures are a foundation of OD because they are prevalent in so many different OD programs. The quality of work life programs of the 1970s and 1980s used parallel structures composed of union leaders, managers, and employees. Most socio-technical systems redesign efforts and open systems planning programs use parallel structures. High-performance organizations often use parallel structures to co-ordinate self-directed teams. At Ford Motor Company, a steering committee and working groups were used to co-ordinate the employee involvement teams. Parallel learning structures are often the best way to initiate change in large bureaucratic organizations,

especially when the change involves a fundamental shift in the organizations methods of work and/or culture.

Parallel learning structures refer to groups who represent various levels and functions working to open new channels of communication outside and parallel to the normal hierarchical structure. Parallel learning structures promote innovation and change in large bureaucratic organizations while retaining the advantage of bureaucratic design.

Designing Parallel Learning Structure (Collateral Organization)

In Figure 1, the term C-Groups stands for either Collateral Groups or Conclusion Groups. Forming these C-Groups to be as different as possible from one another (as discussed below) helps ensure that all the underlying differences of any complex problem will be brought into the open for an active debate. The term S-Group stands for Steering Group or Synthesis Group, which is composed of one or two representatives from each C-Group. The mission of the S-Group is to address and then resolve the differences among the C-Groups (conveniently labeled as ST, NT, SF, and NF) and thus to achieve a far-reachingeffectivesynthesis for all concerned.

A major reason for utilizing a parallel structure with overlapping membership is to increase the likelihood that creative and innovative ideas to problems can and will be implemented in the operational design. The trouble with assigning complex issues to staff groups, as is the customary practice, is that these groups are: (1) remote from the source of the problems and (2) not in any position of line authority to implement their own recommendations. A collateral organization, in contrast, encourages members and line managers from the operational design to develop creative yet feasible solutions in a more relaxed, fluid, collateral designand then enables them to return to the operational design and implement their solution from a formal position of authority in the organization. This ongoing cycle of sensing the problem (from the operational design), defining the problem and deriving solutions (in the collateral design), and implementing the solution (back in the operational design), is the foundation of the collateral organization. In addition, the collateral design forms groups of people that cut across the formal departments in the operational design so that a wide array of expertise and information is available in each collateral group. It is less likely, consequently, that important aspects of a problem will be overlooked or treated in a narrow way (as would be done if ill-structured problems were approached by one functional department in the operational design). CREATING COLLATERAL DESIGNS Table 1 outlines the 10 basic steps involved in forming an effective collateral organization, based on the research in the field of organization design. Table1 The Ten Steps for Designing Collateral Organizations 1. Recognizing that a special-purpose, collateral design is needed to supplement the operational design for important, long-term, complex missions. 2. Formulating the special-purpose or mission for which a collateral organization will be designed. 3. Specifying objectives that the collateral design will attempt to achieve (515 objectives). 4. Specifying tasks that need to be performed in order to achieve each specified objective (30100 tasks).

5. Identifying people who have the necessary abilities, skills, interests, knowledge and experience to perform the indicated tasks from any division in the organization (1050 people). 6. Determining the interdependencies between all pairs of tasks, anticipating how people would be working on these tasks in order to achieve the objectives. 7. Forming boundaries around clusters of tasks denoting each collateral subunit, according to the principle of containing first reciprocal, then sequential, then pooled interdependencies within as opposed to between subunits. 8. Designing the internal-structural characteristics of each collateral subunit, according to the principle of differentiation (i.e., norms, policies, and guidelines to fit with each subunit's task environment). 9. Designing the mechanisms to coordinate all collateral subunits together into a functioning whole, according to the principle of integration as well as to coordinate flows between the operational and collateral designs. 10. Implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the new collateral design as the mission is being pursued.