Collaborative learning within a network and the role of action research

Organisations need to improve their ability to learn and to continue learning to keep pace with the environment. However, the learning process does not stop at the boundaries of the single organisation, but should be placed in an inter-organisational setting in which companies complement each other in competences, capabilities and knowledge. This paper presents a number of practical results of a Dutch case on how learning and continuous improvement take place at an inter-organisational level. An action research approach is adopted and implemented through a cycle of workshops to facilitate and stimulate collaborative learning.