Different Ways of Learning. Symposium.

This document contains three papers from a symposium on different ways of learning. "How Engineers Learn in the Face of Organizational Change" (Robert Reardon) reports on a qualitative study during which nine engineers described how they learned to perform their altered roles after a major reorganization. The study findings supported current theory related to informal learning in the workplace and expanded on that theory by providing a new conceptualization of informal learning and the impact of organization structure on informal learning used by the engineers. "How Lesbians Have Learned to Negotiate the Heterosexism of Corporate America" (Julie Gedro, Ronald M. Cervero, Juanita Johnson-Bailey) examines the informal and incidental learning that 10 self-identified practicing lesbians experienced when dealing with human resource departments, during committee and group work, and at social/corporate events. "Internationalization: Learning Processes in a Greek Manufacturing Group" (Patricia S. Sherrer) discusses a qualitative study of the following topics: ways individuals learn cultures that are not their own; ways actual versus expected career path influences members of an organization that is undergoing internationalization; ways organizations undergoing internationalization use the learning of their own members for competitive advantage; and factors that align all elements of an organization with its international environment. All three papers include substantial bibliographies. (MN)