Abstract

me the freedom to broadly explore the field and for reading numerous drafts of papers and manuscripts as the topic coalesced. I am indebted to Dr. Frances Lawrenz for her close reading of my manuscript and her insight that the reviewed organizational learning models are theoretically-based; if not for this, the study would look very different now. The change in methodology was an extremely rewarding experience. I would like to thank Dr. David Christesen for his advice, for chairing my committee, and for ensuring that this study was grounded in industry relevant insights. I would like to thank Dr. Catherine Twohig for her close attention to qualitative methodology and her rich participation in my defense. A special thank you goes out to all of the anonymous participants who shared the gifts of their time and wisdom with me. It is only because of your generosity of spirit and willingness to share your experiences, insights, and perspectives, that this research was