Factors responsible for building a successful learning organization were studied in a financial firm in Malaysia. Data on employee perception of these factors on standing of the firm as a successful learning organization was collected through a questionnaire designed for the purpose. Ranking (on the basis on employee perception) done for the six factors (identified for the study) revealed the following order: (i) Organization Culture; (ii) Management Skill and Employee Attitude; (iii) Human Resource Development (HRD) Resources; (iv) Senior Management Commitment; (v) Organization of Work. Correlation Analysis revealed that each one of these factors was significantly and positively related with the firm's `standing as a successful learning organization'. Multiple Regression Analysis (for `standing as successful learning organization' as the dependent variable and the six factors as independent variables) brought out that HRD Resources emerged as the dominant factor contributing to standing as a successful learning organization. The study has important implications for promoting organizational learning, particularly through HRD.

Without learning, there is no improvement and without improvement, most organizations stagnate (Lassey, 1998). New techniques emerge almost every day, promising corporations the ability to become learning organizations. (Gephart et al., 1996). The purpose of this study is to identify employees' perception of factors that are important for building a successful learning organization. This information is critical for organizational leaders because in today's rapidly changing environment, a learning organization has the responsibility to ensure faster acquisition and application of knowledge than the competitors for maintaining a leading edge. Whether the need is to increase the efficiency or to improve customer service or provide defect-free products, top-level management is beginning to realize that learning organizations can achieve better performance goals.