International Journal of Administrative Science & Organization, September 2011

Bisnis & Birokrasi, Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

Volume 18, Number 3

ISSN 0854 - 3844, Accredited by DIKTI Kemendiknas RI No : 64a/DIKTI/Kep/2010

Learning Organization
in Improving Academic Services Quality
AHMAD QURTUBI
Science of Educational Administration, Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah, Jakarta, Indonesia
dr_qurtubi@yahoo.co.id
Abstract. This research is intended to analyze learning organization (LO) in improving academic services quality in Universitas
Islam Negeri (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. It is conducted through a mixed-method approach. The qualitative data analysis
employed is the model of Miles and Huberman. There are three phases involved in this method, namely data reduction, data
display, and conclusion drawing/verification. Whereas, the quantitative data employed is the double regression analysis. At the
end of the research, it is shown that UIN Syarif Hidayatullah can be considered as a learning organization. Its system processes,
such as Learning Audit and Reviewing and Learning Development have contributed to the learning improvement, better
educational program and learning self reviewing, and personal mastery is the characteristics shown by UIN Syarif Hidayatullah
which is important in its acknowledgement as learning organization. UIN Syarif Hidayatullah is considered as an organization
encouraging innovation, risk taking or creativity at a wider organizational level. It has a required good balance between local
innovation and strategic objectives of the system. The quantitative analysis has also proven UIN Syarif Hidayatullah as a
learning organization. Systemic thinking, mental models, personal mastery, shared vision, tim learning, trust, commitment, and
effective communication channels are adopted, all of which have positive impact to the academic services quality.
Keywords: academic service, innovation, learning improvement, learning organization

INTRODUCTION
The majority of world business corporations have a
short life span. Peter Senge (1990) concluded that world
class corporations, included in Fortune 500, have an
average life span of 40-50 years, meaning that in average
they last only in two generations (Tjakraatmadja, 2006).
Then, De Geus (1997) conducted research on corporations
above 200 years of age and found that the general
characterizations behind the average short life span of
corporations are mainly the inability to learn and to adapt
to demand of the changing time, which lead to customers
disappointment and the demise of the corporations due
to the loss of market or closed because of rejection by
society and environment.
In national business context, the mass bankruptcy of
business corporations occurred at the period of 19981999, due to the overheating in national economic
condition, signified by devaluation, which saw the
currency value dropped from 2,500 rupiahs per US$1 to
15,000 rupiahs per US$1. In this relatively short period,
hundreds to thousands of national business went bankrupt
or suspended in comma condition at mass level, due to the
inability to learn and to adapt to environmental changes.
The fast progress of science and technology has a
significant influence to human beings in particular and
organizations in general. Organizations must adapt
themselves to the situation and anticipate the changes
by analyzing the internal strengths and weaknesses and

capitalize on opportunities and anticipate possible threats

of the present and the future. This change is a dynamics
of a corporate in its attempt to adapt to its environment, or
even to change the environment itself whenever possible.
The importance of Learning Organization has for long
been a concern of organization experts, particularly after
the publication of Peter Senges book, The Fifth Discipline
in 1990. Organizations, business and non business alike,
have tried to develop the concept in the attempts to be
more competitive. In this context, knowledge management
becomes very important. With the right management,
knowledge can be a strong competitive power so much
needed in global development.
Antonoaie and Antonoaie (2010) elaborates that
learning organization is an ideal vision of an organization
where structures, routines, and working practice are
open to continuous adaptation and improvement, where
individuals and teams are involved in continuous
learning process. The norms and values are supportive
to continuous learning. Strategic decision makings are
responsively informed of relevant data analysis and
feedbacks.
Literatures on LO focus on process of individual and
collective learning inside organizations, and are oriented
to actions focusing on diagnostic and methodological
devices that help identify, improve and evaluate the
quality of learning process inside organizations. The
core of organization learning is the capability of
organization to utilize great mental capacity possessed by

QURTUBI, LEARNING ORGANIZATION IN IMPROVING ACADEMIC

all of its members to create a process that can improve

their effectiveness, however, as Leithwood (1996)
explained, there are limited systemic evidences that
analyze the conditions improving or impeding LO. LO
characteristics are perfected, strutured and synthetized
in a comprehensive way conforming to how condusive
those characteristics are to LO. He conducted a thorough
literary study in an attempt to generally identified the
existing characteristics of LO.
Experts have analyzed learning organization from (1)
team working and learning, (2) systemic thinking and
mental models of free vertical and horizontal information
flow, (3) submissive education and training of labor, (4)
labor learning valuation system, (5) continuous work
improvement, (6) flexibility of corporate and labor
strategy, (7) decentralization hierarchy and participative
management, (8) constant learning and experimentation
laboratory, (9) supportive corporate learning culture, (10)
dialogue, (11) shared reality interpretation, (12) shared
vision of the future, (13) openness and conviction, (14)
commitment and tolerance, and (15) risk taking and
burden of responsibility.
There are eight LO characteristics identified, namely:
(1) systemic thinking, (2) mental models, (3) personal
mastery, (4) shared vision, (5) team learning, (6) trust, (7)
commitment, and (8) effective communication channels.
Al-Qutop et al. (2011) studied insurance sector
corporate in Jordan considered as Learning Organization.
In his research, Al-Qutop confirmed that there is a positive
correlation between learning facilitators and the five
dimensions of learning organization suggested by Peter
Senge. The learning facilitators comprised of culture,
structure, MIS, Human Resources Management strategy,
and leadership.
Distinctive to Al-Qutop, Vatankhah (2011) conducted
a research on learning organization in Azad University,
Iran. The result of the research revealed positive and
significant correlation between organization index
learning score and academic quality improvement score
(P=0) and all confirmed main hypothesis. Findings on
secondary hypothesis showed that the application level
of organization index learning, except one, is lower than
average hypothesis in Likert spectrum. However, this
number is different in university sample (P=0.03). Also,
the level of academic quality improvement is lower than
average hypothesis of 3 and different than university
sample (P=0.01).
Experts and practitioners have identified transformational leadership and organization culture as important
factor influencing the development of organization learning (Rijal, 2010). However, several studies have empirically analyzed impact of transformational leadership and

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organization culture on organization learning. The results

demonstrated positive impact of transformational leadership and organization culture on the development of
learning organization. Weldy & Gillis (2010) examined
the perception of managers, supervisors, and employees from different organizations with seven dimensions
of learning organization, and two dimensions of knowledge and financial performance. The result of their study
demonstrated that, for performance dimension, managers perception was higher than those of supervisors and
employees, and managers were higher than employees in
knowledge performance.
Apart from transformational leadership and organization
culture, emotional intelligence also has impact on learning
organization (Labbaf et al., 2011). Labbaf et al. conducted
a research on the impact of emotional intelligence in
Isfahan University, Iran. The result demonstrated positive
and significant impact that emotional intelligence has on
learning organization, vividness of mission and vision,
effective knowledge transfer, teamwork, and group
problem solving. Wesner (2010) explained that teamwork
and team building are utilized to describe four process
of learning organization, namely intuition, interpreting,
integrating and institutionalizing changes, and creating
durable changes inside organization.
Organization changes are alterations to the better in
order to maintain the existence of organization against
the change of time. Organizations are always in constant
changes, since nothing is eternal. The only exception is
the change itself. The life of organization depends on
its capability to adapt to changes in its environment and
its adaptive, proactive, and reactive strategies. Changes
in organization become a certainty in order to survive
in the constant changes of environment and ever tighter
competition. Organization changes are initiated by the
condition of its old state that has reached saturation to
the point of stiffness. In order to maintain its existence,
members of organization must be aware of the need to
change.
In the process of organization changes, collision
between organization and individual values is often found.
Parding and Abrahamsson (2010) explained that there is a
gap between professional and management values within
an organization. Furthermore, Malik and Danish (2010)
identified the impact of learning motivation and working
attitude in learning organization to services given by
public sector organizations. Learning organization
culture is significantly and positively correlated with
commitment, organization complacency, and working
involvement, but not with learning motivation (Malik and
Danish, 2010).
In Indonesia, organization changes appeared after

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Bisnis & Birokrasi, Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

the imposition of reform era. One implication of

the announcement of reform era is the demand of
performing transparent government agencies that have
real contribution to the acceleration of macro nation
development. However, these objectives are still faced with
empiric situation of government agencies performances,
rooted on mental attitude of some of the state apparatuses
in holding their allegiances as civil servant. This mental
attitude of certain apparatuses emerges as a corrupt
working culture. It is not a secret that almost in all
layers of apparatus the culture of corruption, collusion,
and nepotism has become seemingly natural. These
negative cultures have materialized in various models in
accordance with the level of employees and intellectual
capacity of the apparatuses. Those in operational level
mark up operational cost while those in leadership level
mark up institutional program design with the intention
of cashing in fantastic project money, not advancing the
institution. This is a reality decorating the performance of
government agencies in Indonesia, even to this day.
One of the changes in government agencies occurred
in educational world, which is demanded to be more
professional. The public demand on educational world
is so great considering its importance as public needs.
And on the top of these demands is the one directed at
universities. Universities carry the burden of educating,
researching, and executing public service. Even further
demand is for the universities to give high quality
academic services. One of the universities, demanded
to be a learning organization, the object of this research,
is Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah
Jakarta.
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta has gone through
fast changes due to education politicization, increase in
parents demand, pressure on resources, and influence
of technology. Global society, with its ever increasing
complexity, requires its citizen, just like workers
with high academic capabilities, to be able to work in
diversity, and the fast changes lay a theoretical framework
relating involvement in changes increase with the
need for continuous learning, which needs continuous
transformation in organizations. In this context, the
capacity of educational institutions to adapt to changes,
improve and answer public demands, depends upon
their capacities to get involved in continuous learning
as organizations. Learning organization then becomes
a valuable and promising concept, particularly in this
ever changing dynamic time and in organizations desire
to continuously improves their services. The learning
organization concept indeed manifests distinctive image
of organization with the image dominating education
management literature up to now.

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Lecturers constantly learning in accordance with

institutional objectives contribute largely on acceleration
of organizational changes. In other words, organizational
changes can only occur provided that there are human
resources willing to learn in accordance with organization
objectives within. Learning organization will be
effective, efficient, and productive provided that there
are individuals willing to learn, supported by visionary
leaders and conducive organization culture.
The quality of academic services in this research
refers to service oriented organization concept. Service
orientation is closely related to market orientation.
While service orientation emphasizes more on the
aspects of practices, policies, and service procedures
of an organization, market orientation focuses more
on synchronizing unique capabilities of organization
with customers needs in order to accomplish business
performance objective. Besides, correlation between
market orientation and business performance is stronger
in the context of service organization than in manufacture
corporations and also stronger in nonprofit organization
than in business organization.
Improvement in performance quality of lecturers of
Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah
Jakarta gives a significant impact on UIN performance
in improving learning quality as the spirit of a university.
There is no clear information on how implementation
of learning organization characteristics in UIN Syarif
Hidayatullah Jakarta affects academic service quality.
Thus, this research is intended to analyze learning
organization in improving quality of academic service in
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.
RESEARCH METHODS
This research is conducted utilizing mixed-method
approach (Tashakkori and Teddlie, 2003) with a deeper
qualitative analysis. Data were collected through indepth interview, literary study, and observation. In-depth
interviews were conducted with university leaders in the
Bureau of Academic and Student Administration, Bureau
of Planning, Financial, and Information System, and
Bureau of General and Personnel Administration. It is
also conducted with the deans or heads of faculties of
Tarbiya and Teaching Sciences, Adab and Humanities,
Usul al-Din and Philosophy, Sharia and Law, Dawa and
Communication, Dirasat Islamiya, Psychology, Economy
and Social Sciences, Science and Technology, and
Medicine and Health Sciences. Meanwhile, literary study
was conducted on university and faculties documents.
Those documents, among others, are master plan of
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, policies of rector and

QURTUBI, LEARNING ORGANIZATION IN IMPROVING ACADEMIC

university leaders, policies of the deans, universitys

vision and mission, faculties vision and mission, and
academic documents from the Bureau of Academic and
Student Administration, Bureau of Planning, Financial,
and Information System, and Bureau of General and
Personnel Administration. Observation is conducted
on learning process in classes, organization cultures in
offices at the university and faculty level, and campus
daily atmosphere.
The data analysis employed here is qualitative, which
is data analysis model of Miles and Huberman. There are
three stages in this model, which are data reduction, data
display, and conclusion drawing/verification (Sugiyono,
2009). Besides this qualitative analysis technique, this
research also employs quantitative analysis by examining
the impact of systemic thinking, mental models, personal
mastery, shared vision, team learning, trust, commitment,
and effective communication channels on academic
service quality. The quantitative analysis employed is
double regression analysis. Samples are taken using
Random sampling technique of 217 respondents, who are
students from respective faculties mentioned above.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
The outline for UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
development is to be a research university. It is UIN
commitment as a research university to produce
new discoveries in science, both in Quraniyah and
Kauniyah sciences, by putting research capability as
the main qualification for every academicians scientific
performance. As a research university, UIN considers
researching skills as the main qualification for the
appointment and promotion of lecturers. Thus, UIN
constantly increases the number of its scholars and
researchers possessing international reputation. As a
research university, UIN offers various undergraduate
level programs, as well as special commitment to
postgraduate and doctoral programs, functioned to conduct
and develop academic studies and scientific researches in
various branches. Thesis and dissertation of Postgraduate
Programs provide scientific contribution on science,
technology, art, religion, and/or humanities development.
Therefore, the number of visiting professors, visiting
fellows, and exchange students is always in the rise.
UIN, as a research university, has an adequate research
environment, including complete library collections,
complete laboratory with its equipments and capacity of
data access through sophisticated multimedia computers,
and also university publications. All of which are synergic
with each other.
As a research university, UIN is internationally

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oriented. Therefore, the university attracts many students,

mainly from magister and doctoral programs, from
all over the globe so that academic, social and cultural
exchanges and plural and multicultural community is
created. This environment in its turn creates intellectual
community and learning society. In order to become
a research university, UIN consolidates the aspects of
academic, administration, institutional development, and
student matters.
The initial name for UIN Syarif Hidayatullah was
Institut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN) Syarif Hidayatullah.
Ever since the idea of UIN structuring was rolled in the
last few years, there have been many basic constraints
to be solved, in particular legal constraint related to
National Education System Law and the Department
of National Education. The publication of Presidential
Decree No. 60/1999 seems inappropriate for reformist
to allow the shift from IAIN to UIN. In the framework
of IAIN transformation to UIN, there are two options
that can be picked, both with its own strengths and
weaknesses. First, straightly alters or transforms parts of
IAIN Jakarta regarded ready, particularly in HR and
academic environment, into UIN. This transformation
involves changes/adjustments or improvements of
existing faculties, and establishments of new faculties in
conformation with the concept and framework of UIN.
This transformational step contains several problems,
particularly in supplementing infrastructures, facilities,
and HR in certain branches, particularly general sciences.
Second, establishes or creates new departments and
faculties within existing IAIN institution, so that it is
substantively appropriate with UIN framework. This
second alternative seems appropriate with the suggestion
of the former Minister for Education and Culture, Juwono
Sudarsono, in his answering letter from the former Minister
for Control of State Apparatus, Hartarto, supported
transformation of IAIN into UIN, previously suggested
by the former Minister of Religion Quraish Shihab.
The former Minister for National Education stated that,
first; transformation of an institute into university must
be synchronous with the government policy on higher
education to give priority on developing departments and
faculties of science. Second, this transformation must
begin with preparing HR in the areas to be developed,
rather than institutional changes.
This concept and framework of development is what
IAIN Jakarta regards as IAIN with wider mandate. This
alternative is probably more realistic in terms of preparing
infrastructures, facilities, and resources. And, appropriate
with the concept and framework of IAIN with wider
mandate, IAIN Jakarta has been constantly developing
general departments, particularly in natural science,

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which gradually upgraded into faculties. Simultaneously,

since fiscal year of 1998/1999, IAIN Jakarta began to
give priorities to recruitment and appointment of lecturer
candidates in accordance with the framework and concept
of IAIN with wider mandate.
However, both the concept and framework of UIN
and IAIN with wider mandate require a certain model,
epistemologically view from science and institution. This
model is seemingly required more in keeping religious
fields characterized IAIN from getting put aside or
marginalized due to the expansion of general fields in the
framework of UIN or IAIN with wider mandate. Thus,
there are three options in the concept and framework of
UIN. First, Al-Azhar University model which elaborates
how religious faculties can be adjacent to faculties of
general sciences. These faculties tend to be distinctive to
each other, although still under the same roof. This model
tends to have faculties of general sciences as favorites,
while religious faculties become second choice faculties
or peripheral.
The second model is Private Islamic University model
with a single faculty of religion. This model has faculties
of general sciences adjacent to a faculty of religion
comprised of several department, such as tarbiya, sharia,
and others (previously are faculties themselves in IAIN
institution). In this model, subjects of religion can be
peripheral since there is only one faculty of religion.
The third is Universiti Islam Antarbangsa (UIA) Kuala
Lumpur model. In this model, science is divided into
revealed knowledge that evokes faculties/departments
of religion; and acquired knowledge which is further
interpreted into faculties or departments of general
sciences, such as technique, medicine, economy,
psychology, anthropology, and others. These fields are
Islamized when they are elaborated into curriculum with
related Islamic subjects.
Apparently, there is still a need for further discourses
before deciding which model is the most appropriate to
be adopted, adjusted, and applied in developing IAIN
into UIN. The first and third models seem better than the
second at a glance.
Should UIN establishment be failed to materialized,
IAIN institution must be sustained, then it contains many
positive aspects. One of the most important aspects is that
IAIN, actually a kind of gymnasium or college, still has
parallel position to university. Thus, religious sciences
which are IAIN specialties are not peripheral vis--vis
to other Universities. Other important aspect is that
IAIN Jakarta, with all its strengths and weaknesses, has
been a distinctive trademark that has its own historical
and political values, which cannot be marginalized.
Considering all those discussions above, there are two

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alternatives IAIN Jakarta can take. First, maintaining

IAIN institution with its existing formal mandate, which
is in religious sciences, but also working on substantial
achievements behind UIN founding idea, such as, reapproach of religious and general sciences, and make
more contextual and up to date scientific studies in IAIN.
However, it is clear that IAIN with limited mandate
like this is not only asynchronous to new paradigm of
University, but also detains IAIN from responding to
the changes and development of society, be it in local,
regional or global scale.
Second, maintaining IAIN Jakarta institution in its
present state, but adopt IAIN with wider mandate concept.
In this IAIN with wider mandate concept, education in
IAIN is not only limited in formal mandate of religious
sciences which are parts of humanities sciences, but
also develops the mandate to other humanities, social,
and natural sciences. In this IAIN with wider mandate
framework, IAIN core in religious sciences is still
sustained, but simultaneously consolidates the existing
departments or faculties, such as from Department
of Tadris Psychology into Faculty of Psychology;
Department of Muamalat & Islamic Economy into Faculty
of Islamic Economy; Departments of Tadris Mathematics
and Tadris Natural Sciences into Faculty of Mathematics
and Natural Sciences, or even creates new departments,
faculties, and academic programs as demanded by the
development in society.
Considering the existing constraints, the need to
maintain Islam as the core of every science, and historical
consideration, the second alternative was picked by IAIN
Jakarta. As is stated in RIP IAIN Jakarta 1999/2000
-2003/2004, the development of IAIN Jakarta at the
beginning of the new millennium started off with IAIN
with wider mandate concept. Thus, IAIN Jakarta is not
only developed to improve the quality of departments
and Faculties teaching Islamic religious sciences, but
also departments and faculties teaching other humanities,
social, and natural sciences.
Despite the changes in name and development, the
vision of UIN is still intact, that is to make UIN Syarif
Hidayatullah Jakarta a leading higher education institution
in integrating the aspects of science, Islam and Indonesia.
The mission is also unchanged. Principally, UIN Jakartas
mission is synchronous to the Three Principles of
Education, which are conducting education and learning,
research and public service in order to form an Indonesia
society with Islamic morality and Indonesian personality,
and also capable of applying science and technology
for the interest of Indonesian people in particular and
humankind in general.
Started from this principle, UIN Syarif Hidayatullahs

QURTUBI, LEARNING ORGANIZATION IN IMPROVING ACADEMIC

missions are as follows: (1) reintegrating science

epistemology, so that there is no longer dichotomy between
general and religious sciences (2) conferring moral base
for development of IPTEK and performs enlightenment
in IMTAQ building to make them both harmonious,
(3) articulating Islamic teaching professionally into the
context of society living, so that there is no distance
between religious norm and society sophistication, (4)
maintaining positive old values and taking new positive
values, (5) developing research, qualitatively and
quantitatively, so that it does not render Islamic sciences
deductive, (6) contributing to improvement of life quality
of people through a more professional public service
pattern, (7) providing moral and spiritual basis for national
development, so that the concept of developing perfect
human can be achieved, (8) contributing in creating
world peace and welfare of humankind, and (9) becoming
influential factor in maintaining harmonious relationship
between religion, the state and society.
As one of the oldest IAIN in Indonesia located in the
capital city, IAIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta occupies a
unique and strategic place, not only as window display
of Islam in Indonesia, but also as a symbol of national
development advancement, particularly in socio-religious
development. In the attempt of integrating general
sciences with religious sciences, this institution began to
expand itself in accordance with IAIN with wider mandate
concept towards the establishment of Universitas Islam
Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.
The conversion began to be intensified under the
leadership of Prof. Dr. Azyumardi Azra, M.A. with the
opening of Departments of Psychology and Mathematics
Teaching in Faculty of Tarbiya, and Departments of
Economy and Islamic Banking in Faculty of Sharia in
the academic year of 1998/1999. Giving more credit to
this conversion, Agribusiness Studies and Information
Engineering Programs were opened in 2000 under the
cooperation with IPB, and BPPT, Management, and
Accounting.
In 2001, Faculty of Psychology and Faculty of Dirasat
Islamiya were officially begun following the cooperation
with Egypt Al-Azhar University. Other international
cooperation are with IDB (Islamic Development Bank) as
financier of modern campus building; McGill University
(CIDA); Leiden University (INIS); Universitas Al-Azhar
(Kairo); King Saud University (Riyadh); Universitas
Indonesia; Institut Pertanian Bogor; Universitas
Muhammadiyah.
In UIN, there are six characteristics of Learning
Organization strongly supported, which are intercorrelated and inter-depended on each other. For instance,
systemic thinking in strong systemic and strategic

234

frameworks which operated in and focused on the

wide context of shared vision and mission. These study
findings are in conformity to Rosengartens meaning and
theoretical discussion, concluding that systemic thinking
and shared vision are core characteristics needed by
learning organization as defined by the contribution of
these two characteristics made by learning organization.
Systemic thinking forms a wide framework within
which qualified learning organization is endeavored.
Meanwhile, constant improvement is imperatively
important to keep the proceeding of learning organization.
Other learning organization characteristics, if necessary,
are inadequate in defining learning organization. Two
characteristics strongly supported in this research are the
most consistently identified characteristics in literature as
characteristics of learning organization.
Academic communities of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah
have high hopes for improvement of their effectiveness
and show their willingness to regularly evaluate the
service, bearing some reservations of borders. Within
these borders, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah requests
feedback from the leaders in the process of improving
its performance. Mental models require commitment to
learning, which often can be found in data analysis and
feedbacks, to help diagnosing problems and improving
performance at system and education level. The result
of this research shows how UIN Syarif Hidayatullah
is an organization collecting data on education and
system performance, with the intention to use the data in
improving performance. UIN Syarif Hidayatullah shows
its accountability and commitment to improvement in
several ways, including reevaluation of the system.
System processes, such as Education Audit,
Reevaluation, and Education Development (SRD), are
viewed as contributing to the improvement in education,
better teaching, and education self reevaluation. UIN
Syarif Hidayatullah is also perceived as giving emphasizes
to improve and challenge education to perform at higher
standard. Most of the academic communities declared
that strategic management system help them in improving
the quality of teaching and learning in general.
The results of the research show that effective
education system is the one perfectly balancing pressure
and support within their role in improving education.
The border of the influence of education authority, such
as UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, in classroom practices is a
problem. However, these results show that academic
communities regard system process as an influential
process for the quality of teaching and learning. The
border and characteristics of this influence are not defined
in this research but will be the subject of further research.
The results of the research show that personal mastery is

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an obvious characteristic within UIN Syarif Hidayatullah

and is important in its acknowledgement as learning
organization. Quantitative, qualitative, and systemic
documentary data are regarded as, in literary context,
supporting the conclusion that UIN Syarif Hidayatullah
can be considered strongly demonstrating a characteristic
of learning organization, personal mastery.
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah is considered responsive as
initiator of changes and attempting to anticipate great
changes in education, with its regional officers considered
as having influential level of decision making within the
system.
Opinions are divided whether UIN Syarif Hidayatullah
is an innovative organization where experimentation is
admitted as learning facility, where research is encouraged,
and whether its organization structure complies with the
changing needs of education, observing Oslers view
stating that education system must encourage innovation
as long as it is focused at standard improvement (Osler,
2001). The majority of academic communities perceive
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah as an organization, caring more
of rules than services. Opinions are divided whether UIN
Syarif Hidayatullah is an organization where mistakes
are tolerated and where heads of education can take
some risks. The level of influence of education heads on
decision making within the system is the one with lowest
support in this scale. It is synchronous to other results of
this research showing that decision making at this system
level is not considered much influenced by education
heads.
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah is considered as an organization
encouraging innovation, risk taking or creativity at wider
organization level. This characteristic value level might
be a reflection of the strong commitment structured
by system for scientific approach and quantitative
for standard. There are evidences in this research of
the tension between systemic thinking, which is well
developed in UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, and creativity,
risk taking, and initiative. The results support Schmokers
claim that systemic thinking and strategic planning limit
implementation of decision and creativity with complex
and confusing strategic plan and give the burden of
education on teachers (Schmoker, 2004). Providing too
much flexibility and encouraging risk taking always has
the risk of returning to previous practices. The challenge
for this organization is to encourage risk taking informed
and innovated (Ulrich et al., 1993) while maintaining
strength in other characteristics examined in this research.
One interesting thing, LEA analysis by Riley, Docking,
Rowles, and Leich reach the same conclusion when
respondents are not aware of LEA as creating innovative
strategy, considered by many that the strategy is too
bureaucratic (Riley et al., 1998).
Learning to have strong commitment towards
developing personal mastery, with which to have

Volume 18, Number 3

lifelong learning, is nourished through clarification and

continuous strengthening of personal vision. Should
personal mastery beneficial to individual, team, and
organization, it needs not only be pursued from system
perspective, but also from the appropriateness to the
needs of participants. The results of this research show
that UIN Syarif Hidayatullah approaches to continuous
professional development include these dimensions in
central, regional, and local approaches to professional
development with its flexibility and encouragement for
good dialogue and experience sharing. It is synchronous
with Schmokers view that the key to effective professional
development is developing teacher community learning
from co-operations and continuous practices (Schmoker,
2004). It should be noted that, in conform to Guskey,
cooperation performed carefully between educators based
on place and district officer, with wider perspective on
the problem, is the device to optimize the effectiveness
of professional development (Guskey, 2003). This result
once again emphasizes the importance of cooperation in
defining directive for professional development and UIN
Syarif Hidayatullah needs to do a better performance as is
stated in the responds.
Effective professional development can be achieved
through the need to help teachers understand deeper
the materials and skills they teach and the way students
learn those skills and materials. It means effective and
systematic use of time and collegiality and structured and
purposive collaborative exchanges (Guskey, 2003). The
results of the research reveal that UIN Syarif Hidayatullah
approach to continuous professional development is by
performing effectively through nourishing professional
development based on local, step, or cluster. The final
destination of professional development within education
system must be the improvement in learning results.
The results of this research are synchronous to views
on value and effectiveness of professional development
collected through reevaluation of LEA in England
(Riley et al., 1998). These results show that UIN Syarif
Hidayatullah is effective in developing its human
resources, but still need to do more on nourishing free,
creative, and collaborative dialogue. Thus, Continuous
Professional Development is a characteristic at middle
level in UIN Syarif Hidayatullah.
The majority of academic communities, mainly the
staff, stated that there are trusts between the leaders
and UIN Syarif Hidayatullah and that sensitive matters
can be submitted, while structures within UIN Syarif
Hidayatullah encourage cooperation. Decisions are made
at appropriate level, synchronous to subsidiary principles.
These findings are supported by Garrats work showing
that learning organization basically build on trust and can
be the source of cynicism if rhetoric is not regarded as
truth (Garrat, 1999), while trust and cooperation is a very
important thing to make changing and learning (Berman

QURTUBI, LEARNING ORGANIZATION IN IMPROVING ACADEMIC

236

Table 1. Influence of Learning Organization Dimensions on Quality of Academic Services in UIN Syarif
Hidayatullah Jakarta
STATISTIC
HYPOTHESIS

HYPOTHESIS
Systemic Thingking has no
positive influence on quality
of academic services

H0:1 0

Systemic Thingking directly

has Positive influence on
quality of academic services

H1:1 > 0

Mental Models have no

influence on quality of
academic services
Mental Models directly have
Positive influence on quality
of academic services
Personal Mastery has
influence on quality
academic services

no
of

t count

t Table

HYPOTHESIS
DECISION

0,191

3,070

1,971

Refuse H0

There is Direct
Positive Significant
Influence

0,133

2,063

1,971

Refuse H0

There is Direct
Positive Significant
Influence

0,142

2,226

1,971

Refuse H0

There is Direct
Positive Significant
Influence

0,138

2,163

1,971

Refuse H0

There is Direct
Positive Significant
Influence

0,133

2,068

1,971

Refuse H0

There is Direct
Positive Significant
Influence

0,156

2,441

1,971

Refuse H0

There is Direct
Positive Significant
Influence

0,169

2,677

1,971

Refuse H0

There is Direct
Positive Significant
Influence

0,171

2,668

1,971

Refuse H0

There is Direct
Positive Significant
Influence

H0:2 0
H1:2 > 0

H0:3 0

Personal Mastery directly has

Positive influence on quality
of academic services

H1:3> 0

Shared Vision has no influence

on quality of academic
services

H0:4 0

Shared Vision directly has

Positive influence on quality
of academic services

H1:4> 0

Tim Learning has no Positive

influence on quality of
academic services
Tim Learning directly has
Positive influence on quality
of academic services
Trust has no Positive influence
on quality of academic
services

Kof.

H0:5 0
H1:5 > 0
H0:6 0

Trust directly has Positive

influence on quality of
academic services

H1:6> 0

Commitment has no Positive

influence on quality of
academic services

H0:7 0

Commitment directly has

Positive influence on quality
of academic services

H1:7> 0

Effektive Communication
Channels has no Positive
influence on quality of
academic services

H0:8 0

Effektive Communication
Channels directly have
Positive influence on quality
of academic services

H1:8> 0

and McLaughlin, 1976). Schmokers work emphasizes

how cooperation improves performance. These results
show that UIN Syarif Hidayatullah really needs to
examine elements of this characteristic to further improve
its profile and performance as a learning organization
(Schmoker, 2004).
Dialogue is an important component of vision in
learning organization, should it happen in an open

CONCLUSION

and trusting climate. Dialogue is a group of structure

important for organization and used for learning,
developing humanitarian capacity, and responding
to changing environment. There are evidences that
dialogue is not a clear characteristic of UIN Syarif
Hidayatullah and communicative trait within the system
ensures further exploring. In this research, effective
communication is very important since it is the base of

237

International Journal of Administrative Science & Organization, September 2011

Bisnis & Birokrasi, Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi

many other characteristics of learning organization, such

as developing and possessing shared vision and mission.
The results show that this characteristic gets medium
support as learning organization characteristic within
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, but it is a field ensuring further
research and development.
Opinions are divided on whether freedom to think
encouraged within the team created by UIN Syarif
Hidayatullah, whether this team is basic learning unit
within UIN Syarif Hidayatullah and whether systemic
view on decisions made inside the team and their
values, whether UIN Syarif Hidayatullah professional
development program encourage team work skill is
unsure. However, Fink and Thompson claimed that team
work and structure nourishing cooperation is vital for
learning organization. There is no striking distinction
of demographic groups in this characteristic (Fink and
Thompson, 2001).
While systemic thinking concept and mental model
are unification of several disciplines, it should be noted
that in exaggerated emphasis on organization as basic unit
with its unique characteristics, it is possible to ignore the
contribution of each member to the organization. Some
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah staffs do not feel empowered
or being asked for consultation as wide as they wish.
Also, the use of very systematic approach for strategic
planning and vision may paradoxically obstruct creativity
and individuality, creating tension between individual
creativity and supportive each other work for general
objectives (Johnston and Caldwell, 2001). Likewise,
supporting each other vision at system leadership level
may be perceived as introducing level of manipulating
and controlling. This may limit the readiness to learn and
innovate since commitment to shared vision and mission
limits the capacity for new ideas and the emergence of
those ideas. This results show that UIN Syarif Hidayatullah
is vulnerable to warnings (Johnston and Caldwell, 2001).
The low ranked characteristic in this research is
taking initiative and risk which possibly tend to find less
expression within organization where system process is
defined clearly, where the framework is clear, and where
objectives and targets of corporations have been defined
clearly. This could mean that leaders within the system
have less influence when taking wider decisions. There
is also reluctance to conduct experiment and obscurities
on how organization is considered as making mistakes.
On how far to merge high level systemic thinking and
culture of continuous improvement while nourishing
and encouraging risk and initiative taking is a challenge
for the future. It is a challenge for education, teacher,
education heads, and UIN Syarif Hidayatullah to work
harmoniously and, in doing so, create a bigger creativity.
There is a good balance to be achieved between local
innovation and strategic objectives of the system, where
individual and collective learning, strongly emphasized

Volume 18, Number 3

within learning organization theory, must be linked to

strategic objectives of an organization. It can provide
clarification in this research, on one side, for the relative
strength of systemic thinking and mental model as
characteristics of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah and, on the
other side, relative weakness of taking initiative and risk.
The results of the research show that the institution
and its leaders endeavor to improve themselves and
encourage education to also do it. Some wide systems
reevaluate continuous improvement of models at
system level as conducted on significant process
system evaluation, such as Reevaluation and Education
Improvement and Education Audit (Clark and BrunoJofre, 2000). These programs and programs initiated
by other systems have encouraged the culture of self
reevaluation within education and system in general.
Target setting for standard examination also emphasizes
continuous improvement.
Qualitative explanation of the research is strengthened
by quantitative analysis. Quantitative analysis also reveal
that UIN Syarif Hidayatullah as learning organization has
significant influence on the quality of academic services
in UIN Syarif Hidayatullah (see table 1). Observing
perceptions of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah students shows
that UIN Syarif Hidayatullah is applying the dimensions
of learning organization.
CONCLUSION
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah has been proven as a learning
organization. System processes, such as Education
Audit and Reevaluation and Education Development
have contributed to the development of education, better
teaching program, and self reevaluation of education.
Personal mastery is a very apparent characteristic
in UIN Syarif Hidayatullah and is important in its
acknowledgement as learning organization. UIN Syarif
Hidayatullah is an organization collecting data on
education and system performance, with the objective of
utilizing those data to help improving its performance.
UIN Syarif Hidayatullah shows its accountability and
commitment to improvements through several ways,
including system reevaluation. UIN Syarif Hidayatullah
is considered as an organization encouraging innovation,
risk or creativity taking at wider organization level. There
is a good balance to be achieved between local innovation
and strategic objectives of the system, where there is
individual and collective learning, which is strongly
emphasized in learning organization theory.
Quantitative analysis also shows that UIN Syarif
Hidayatullah has become a learning organization.
Systemic thinking, mental models, personal mastery,
shared vision, team learning, trust, commitment, and
effective communication channels are adopted and have

QURTUBI, LEARNING ORGANIZATION IN IMPROVING ACADEMIC

positive influence on the quality of academic services.

This research can be a reference for universities
endeavoring to become learning organization in
improving quality of academic services, particularly
local universities with limited facilities. Furthermore,
this research contributes to obligation of government
offices to become learning organization referring to
the dimensions of learning organization. Government
offices play important role in performing public services.
Therefore, adoption of learning organization dimensions
is important for government offices in general. However,
this research has limited research object. The research is
conducted on an Islamic university which has distinctive
organization culture with other universities. Besides,
the researched university is a state university which has
distinctive culture to private universities. Therefore,
in the future, a further research comparing learning
organization in universities of different status, state or
private, religious or general, and other status should be
conducted.
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