Written Assignment 1
It is vital that leaders understand how to create a learning environment that embraces entrepreneurial activity in the workplace for sustainable competitive advantage. This capability starts with the development of learning structures that support adult learning in a dynamic workplace. Sustainable competitive advantage is important and requires that employees embrace continuous learning, adaptability, and flexibility.

Assume the perspective of an HRM professional tasked with creating a learning structure for future training and development within your organization. The organization you work for is in a fast-paced, service-oriented industry that requires constant learning by employees to address customer needs and effectively meet organizational goals. You can choose an industry that you are familiar with or interested in that fits these guidelines to make your paper more specific.

You will find the all study materials helpful in completing this assignment.

Write a 5- to 8-page paper (1250 to 2200 words) that addresses the following in a specific organizational setting:

Define the specific industry and organization. Include information on general number of employees that you would serve within this learning system. [1 to 2 paragraphs in length]
Design a learning structure for the organization based on andragogy, experiential learning, and social cognitive theory. A learning structure should be the foundation for all training and development activities within the organization. The structure includes:
The foundational methodological framework
Tools and technology available for use
Characteristics of the activities used
    Be specific about your integration of theory. The why is important. [2 to 3 pages in length]

Define specific psychodynamic mechanisms that can inhibit learning in the adult workforce and the importance of overcoming them for future successes. Be specific in identifying the psychodynamic mechanisms that are problematic in the setting you have defined. Clearly articulate why you have identified each of these as a problem. [2 to 3 pages in length]
Develop specific steps to overcome the barriers that inhibit learning within this organizational context. Be specific in the list of barriers, why the barrier exists, and how specifically you will overcome that barrier using the learning structure. The solutions should also be tied to theory/models/concepts rooted in adult learning theory. [1 to 2 pages in length]
Written Assignment Guidelines
Note: These requirements apply to all written assignments in the course.

Paper should be 1250 to 2200 words (5 to 8 pages) in length. This requirement does not include the cover page or reference page(s).
Use 6th edition APA style formatting. You do not need to include an abstract.
You must include an introduction and conclusion.
Use effective headings throughout the paper to guide your reader.
You must have, at a minimum, eight references. Four must be academic sources that are not listed as study materials for the course.
Academic sources are from peer-reviewed academic journals.
One source can be a white paper from a professional organization (e.g., The Society for Human Resources Management).
Do not use popular press news articles, random websites, blogs, or wikis.
Every reference listed must have, at a minimum, one matching in-text citation.

STUDY MATERIALS
Required Materials
Bandura, A. (1991). Social cognitive theory of self-regulation. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 248247.
Knowles, M. (1973). The adult learner: A neglected species. Gulf Publishing Company.
Kolb, A. Y., & Kolb, D. A. (2005, June). Learning styles and learning spaces: Enhancing experiential learning in higher education. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 4(2), 193212. doi:10.5465/AMLE.2005.17268566
Bevan, D., & Kipka, C. (2012, March). Experiential learning and management education. Journal of Management Development, 31(3), 193197. doi:10.1108/02621711211208943
Eckhaus, E., Klein, G., & Kantor, J. (2017). Experiential learning in management education. Business, Management, and Education, 15(1), 4256. doi: 10.3846/bme.2017.345
Alhassan, A. M. (2012, September). Factors affecting adult learning and their persistence: A theoretical approach. European Journal of Business and Social Sciences, 1(6), 150168.
Finlay, J. (2010, May 17). Andragogy (adult learning) [Video file].
Davidson Films, Inc. (2010, June 22). Banduras social cognitive theory: An introduction [Video file].
Sprouts. (2015, October 12). Experiential learning: How we all learn naturally [Video file].