CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
According to Senge (1990) organizational learning is viewed as a constant put to test and transformation of experience into knowledge which is significant to the organization and available to the whole organization. Huber (1991) classify organizational learning into four processes: information acquisition, information interpretation, information distribution, and organizational memory. Rimouski (1994) defines organizational learning as a process of acquisition, interpretation of information and the resulting behavior accompanied by cognitive changes, which exact impact on organizational performance.
Firms which possess a strong learning culture have the capacity to create acquire and transfer knowledge, and also modify behavior to suit new acquired knowledge and insight (Huber, 1991; Garvin, 1993). This implies that firm employing organizational learning must acquire information, interpret it and transform it into knowledge and also proceed to effect behavioral and cognitive changes – in order to convert words into action.
Organizational learning exact some advantages in providing core competency
Through the creation of knowledge, enhance new product development, improved customer service etc. (Baker and Sinkula, 1999). The organizational performance  also improved through market information generation and dissemination. The innovative development of the firm leads to organizational performance .It also facilitate the monitoring of new trends in the market place which result in increased sales and market share. Martinez-Costa and Jimenez-Jimenez (2009). Organizational learning enhances a responsive and flexible organization structure which better to respond to new challenges and overcome competition.
 1.2  STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Organizational learning process is a sequence of three phases: information acquisition, information interpretation, and behavioral and cognitive changes. Companies that have developed a strong learning culture are good at creating, acquiring and transferring knowledge, as well as at modifying behavior to reflect new knowledge and insight (Huber, 1991; Garvin, 1993). According to Senge (1990) organizational learning is viewed as a constant put to test and transformation of experience into knowledge which is significant to the organization and available to the whole organization. Huber (1991) classifies organizational learning into four processes: information acquisition, information interpretation, information distribution, and organizational memory. Rimouski (1994) defines organizational learning as a process of acquisition, interpretation of information and the resulting behavior accompanied by cognitive changes, which exact impact on organizational performance. Organizational learning exact some advantages in providing core competency
Through the creation of knowledge, enhance new product development, improved customer service etc. (Baker and Sinkula, 1999). The organizational performance is also improved through market information generation and dissemination.
Hence, organizations stressing learning must first acquire information, interpret it to fully understand its meaning and transform it into knowledge. At the same time, they must not forget the most important part – to implement behavioral and cognitive changes – in order to convert words into action.
However not many organization have imbibe this concept. The process of organizational learning requires management commitment to formulating and implementing policies which promote the culture of organizational learning. The reason why many organizations cannot withstand competition is because of lack of innovative knowledge and skills to meet with the trend of modern technological development and research. Consequently employee performance is retarded and organizational performance affected interms of poor financial returns, low market share, poor shareholders value etc. Therefore the problem confronting the research is to determine organizational learning and employee performance of selected brewery firms in anambra state