Party as an organizational learning practice: Economíadas in São Paulo

Abstract

The Economíadas, created in 1991 by Administration students, are currently organized by students from Administration, Economics, Accounting and Actuarial courses at universities in the state of São Paulo. Given the complexity involved in its realization, this research aimed to understand the party associated with the event as an organization that promotes practical learning for its organizers, interpreting the party both as an artifact (product) and as a symbol (meaning) in the context of learning. The study was based on the theory of organizational learning, which investigates how organizations learn, focusing on successful practical experiences and guiding behaviors on what organizations should do to promote learning. Furthermore, the concept of practice-based learning was used, whose focus is on what is practiced and how practice generates learning through interactions situated and contextualized in the environment in question. The party was analyzed through ethnography, with data collected through participant observation and interviews with student organizers carried out during the 2017 Economíadas. The analysis revealed that the party provides an unexpected space for learning, as each event is unique, and the organization process involves dealing with unforeseen events and learning from them. It is in the practice of organizing the party that the necessary skills for resource management are acquired, from raising funds and selecting suppliers, to monitoring contracts, searching for partners, and managing cash flow for payments, always facing unforeseen challenges. This practical learning, experienced in "doing", offers students a rich environment for developing essential management and organizational skills, applicable both in the context of parties and other future organizational challenges.