Exploratory Case Study on Learning and Facilitating Process of Employees

Abstract

Environmental studies have revealed a growing body of evidence that human activity is having a negative effect on nature, while people have required lifestyle habit changes to reduce the effect of nature. Employees as not only manufacturers but also consumers have important roles in the environmentally sustainable society, and therefore they should learn about the environment and sustainability. In this study, employees were considered adult learners and facilitators who faced various environmental issues in their daily practices. The purpose of the study is to explore the learning and facilitating process through employees daily practices such as drinking water, throwing out trash, and talking with co-workers. Yuhan-Kimberly (YK), one of the most prominent corporations for environmental management in South Korea, was chosen to reveal how employees learn ecologically sustainable habits through their daily practices. In the company, two environmental management team members were mainly interviewed and four other members participated in this exploratory case study. From this research the practices of following the environmental strategy, controlling, facilitating, and internal communications were analyzed to understand the employees learning process. Also, reifications, which facilitate employees, were identified. These findings showed that employees are learning from the practice of following the strategy, which is offered even if they do not want to follow it. They also learn by developing alternative ways, asking questions, considering others, and taking responsibility for the reputation of their company. Additionally, environmental management team members learn more than other team employees through experience with reifications, suggesting alternative ways, listening or asking what do they think, and answering their questions. Because environmental management team members have responsibility for answering questions from other team employees, they offer employees better learning conditions in the form of environmental and sustainability learning situations. Although the practices I found are too small of efforts to have a real environmental impact for change, it is important to point out that tiny practices can help people develop awareness, participate in activities and easily follow the rules. Employees who were required to follow the strategy can be divided into three groups, resisters, conformers, and those who just went along. The next step is to study these three groups to reveal better learning conditions for each of them. This research will serve as a platform for the study of sustainable development in a company.