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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the learning culture in campus housing departments and assess its relationship to organizational performance. The research questions guiding this study looked at (1) the extent to which campus housing departments exhibited the characteristics of a learning organization; (2) how perceptions of the learning organization differed by institutional type, organizational structure, reporting lines, and involvement in a public-private partnership; (3) how perceptions of organizational performance differed by institutional type, organizational structure, reporting lines, and involvement in a public-private partnership; (4) the extent to which the learning organization explained variance in organizational performance; (5) and which dimensions of a learning organization contributed most to organizational performance. This study used an adapted version of Watkins and Marsicks (1997) 21-item Dimensions of a Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ). The survey asked respondents about learning culture, organizational performance, and institutional characteristics. Learning culture was measured through the seven dimensions of continuous learning opportunities, promotion of dialogue and inquiry, collaboration and team learning, empowerment towards a shared vision, embedded learning systems, system connections to the environment, and strategic leadership for learning. This study used financial performance, knowledge performance, and educational performance to measure organizational performance. Respondents were Senior Housing Officers (SHO) at colleges and universities in the United States. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), and multiple regression.This study reaffirmed the positive relationship between the learning organization and organizational performance. All bivariate dimensions correlations were significant and positive except one (p<.01). The overall model found that all seven dimensions of a learning organization collectively predicted financial performance (F(7,201)=3.91, p =.000), knowledge performance (F(7,201)=3.68, p=.001), and educational performance (F(7,201)=6.48, p=.001). Embedded systems to capture and share learning and strategic leadership were the two significant predictors for financial, knowledge, and educational performance. The study validated the DLOQ in a new context of campus housing departments, and it introduced a holistic perspective of performance to housing departments. It introduced a practical theory and instrument with the DLOQ. This study took the learning organization from concept to concrete strategy for housing departments.