Abstract
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have played a key role in peacebuilding efforts in Sri Lanka during the civil war and in its aftermath. This research aims at examining the extent of the various types of organisational learning (OL) in a sample of seven NGOs as well as the factors which influence learning.
The research is qualitative, and was undertaken by a document analysis of evaluation and research documents for each NGO. Organisational learning is investigated by the extent and type of learning, namely normative, operational, relational, contextual and political types of learning.
The results indicated that most NGOs are strong normative learners, while the sample varied in other types of learning. On par with the mainstream literature in organisational learning, the learning cultures and leadership styles proved to be important factors in facilitating learning, while external contextual variables significantly affected their ability to learn and operate according to their mandate. It should also be noted that some types of NGOs (Human rights based organisations, political and peacebuilding NGOs, especially in the North and East) are politically more vulnerable than others, and therefore, the cost of not learning or failing to adapt to changing circumstances appropriately, could have a detrimental effect for the NGO and its staff.
The implications of the thesis entails a broader understanding in which, learning from the past can be a part of ensuring successful outcomes in future peacebuilding ventures. In particular, the thesis emphasises the importance of contextual and political sensitivity when implementing peacebuilding and other humanitarian ventures.