This book draws together two important strands of study about the world of work: organizational and workplace learning. They are not the same conceptually or even linguistically but are brought together here because they are two sides of the same coin. However, it is necessary to see why they are two sides of the same coin and then to look at each side separately. The common word in these two terms is ‘learning’, a concept that conveys a sense of continuity and change, but especially the latter.
In order to try to capture the way that the world is changing, Bauman (2000) has introduced us to the concept of liquid modernity – a world of change, a place where people travel light and are flexible in the face of the forces of change. It is as if stasis has ceased to be and change is the norm of existence. It is endemic. This is a world that changes so rapidly that decisions have to be implemented before their possible outcomes can be properly tested – it is a risk society (Beck, 1992). What has caused such haste? Clearly this is a structural phenomenon and it might best be seen under the broad heading of globalization.