A Complex Systems Paradox of Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 53-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soheil Ghili ◽  
Serima Nazarian ◽  
Madjid Tavana ◽  
Sepehr Keyvanshokouhi ◽  
Mohammad Taghi Isaai
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Complex Systems ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Organizational Innovation ◽  
Economic Environment ◽  
Complex Process

Many organizations are striving to survive and remain competitive in the current uncertain and rapidly changing economic environment. Businesses must innovate to face this volatility and maintain their competitiveness. Organizational learning is a complex process with many interrelated elements linking knowledge management with organizational innovation. In this paper we use several theories (i.e., organizational learning, knowledge management, organizational innovation, complexity theory, and systems theory) to discover and study the interrelationships among the organizational learning elements. The purpose of this paper is threefold: (1) We identify organizational learning as a mediating variable between knowledge management and organizational innovation; (2) We further present a paradox where decisions that are expected to improve organizational learning, surprisingly do not work; and (3) We show this paradox is not the result of overlooking organizational learning elements, but rather, caused by neglecting to consider the complex interrelationships and interdependencies among them.

scholarly journals Sustainable Innovation in Small Medium Enterprises: The Impact of Knowledge Management on Organizational Innovation through a Mediation Analysis by Using SEM Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 2407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaffar Abbas ◽  
Qingyu Zhang ◽  
Iftikhar Hussain ◽  
Sabahat Akram ◽  
Aneeqa Afaq ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Organizational Innovation ◽  
Garment Industry ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Sustainable Innovation ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

This current study is among the very few investigations, which seeks the relationship between knowledge management and sustainable organizational innovation in garment business firms. This investigation focused on examining how organizational learning mediates the relationship between knowledge management and sustainable organizational innovation. This research establishes that knowledge management and organizational innovation procedures are integral parts of the progress and survival of the organizations. The received data of this population reports on the garment firms, operating their businesses in Lahore and Gujranwala. The study applied a stratified random sampling method for data collection and employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the hypothesized relationships. The results specify that knowledge management shows a significant positive association with organizational learning, which in turn reveals a positive linkage to sustainable organizational innovation in SMEs of the garment industry. The study results also specify that organizational learning mediates the relationship between knowledge management and sustainable organizational innovation. This research survey identifies the significance of knowledge management and organizational learning in executing the process of organizational innovation, and it helps business managers to understand organizational learning as a mediator, which in turn indicates the benefits of knowledge management in achieving sustainable organizational innovation. This review provides an empirical indication of original data to investigate the linkage between knowledge management, sustainable innovation process, and organizational learning culture in the Pakistani garment sector. The generalizability of the study fallouts is restricted to the garment industry, and it offers valuable insights for imminent researchers.

scholarly journals Avoiding Epistemological Myopia

2011 ◽  
pp. 173-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert M. Mason
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Linguistic Relativity ◽  
System A ◽  
Underlying Theme

Organizational approaches to knowledge management are unlikely to lead to organizational wisdom unless the organization increases its awareness of factors that contribute to epistemological myopia—a nearsightedness that limits what and how the organization knows and how it learns. Contributors to this myopia include organizational learning pathologies, an unquestioning acceptance of fundamental concepts, such as time, and measuring success as the absence of failure. In many instances, the vocabulary, language, and business methods used by an organization, society, or culture reify these pathological factors and thereby further hamper the potential for learning. By raising our awareness of these contributors and the factors that support their reification and continued acceptance, we seek either to avoid these limitations or to develop corrective lenses that can extend the organization’s vision and enable it to resolve issues with greater clarity. The conceptual frameworks used in this chapter are drawn from four distinct areas of study: systems theory, organizational knowledge and learning, the organization as a learning community and community of practice, and linguistic relativity. The underlying theme is the organization as an inquiring system—a system that seeks to learn and become more knowledgeable. Because learning processes are culturally biased, and the bias is reinforced by a culture’s values, language, and vocabulary, the premise is that these biases and values constrain the organization’s epistemological methods and processes. The potential solutions to epistemological myopia include deliberate nurturing of cultural diversity, the institutionalization of Singerian approaches to inquiry, and the fostering of managed risk in experiments that do not guarantee success. While few organizations exhibit all of these desirable characteristics, there are some examples from the literature and practice that provide confidence that organizations can avoid epistemological myopia.

Chaos Theory and Complexity Theory

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Warren
Keyword(s):  
Nonlinear Dynamics ◽  
Dynamical Systems ◽  
Complex Systems ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Chaos Theory ◽  
Mathematical Framework ◽  
Nonlinear Interactions ◽  
Simple Systems ◽  
Over Time

Chaos theory and complexity theory, collectively known as nonlinear dynamics or dynamical systems theory, provide a mathematical framework for thinking about change over time. Chaos theory seeks an understanding of simple systems that may change in a sudden, unexpected, or irregular way. Complexity theory focuses on complex systems involving numerous interacting parts, which often give rise to unexpected order. The framework that encompasses both theories is one of nonlinear interactions between variables that give rise to outcomes that are not easily predictable. This entry provides a nonmathematical introduction, discussion of current research, and references for further reading.

scholarly journals THE EFFECT OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT, ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING ON INNOVATION IN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kambiz ABDI ◽  
Abbas MARDANI ◽  
Aslan Amat SENIN ◽  
Laura TUPENAITE ◽  
Jurga NAIMAVICIENE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Automotive Industry ◽  
Organizational Innovation ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Automobile Manufacturer ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Relationship

The main objective of this study was to examine the direct and indirect effects of organizational culture, knowledge management and organizational learning on innovation. The study combined knowledge-based view theory (KBV), competitive value framework to develop a new original theoretical framework for investigation of factors that affect innovation. Data was gathered from a survey of 279 companies supplying automobile parts to Iran Khodro Company, an Iranian leading automobile manufacturer. Study discovered that organizational culture and knowledge management influenced organizational innovation. Besides that, organizational learning played a significant role as a mediator in that relationship. However, knowledge management was not considered as a mediator in the relationship between organizational culture and organizational innovation. As a practical contribution, the findings of the study serve as a guideline for policy makers and managers in the formulation of policies and strategies for sustainable innovation. Knowing the effectiveness of the innovation can help the government to make decisions about the continuation of this policy. Moreover, study contributes to firm management in formulation of policies and strategies for sustainability in innovation context. Innovation assists organizations supplying the product or service in the automotive sector to operate innovatively, competitively and profitably.

scholarly journals Inojezični razvoj i teorije dinamičnih sustava

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 287
Author(s):  
Marijana Bašić
Keyword(s):  
System Theory ◽  
Complex Systems ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Dynamic Systems ◽  
Adaptive System ◽  
Complex Adaptive System ◽  
Dynamic Systems Theory ◽  
Complex Adaptive

U ovome se radu raspravlja o dosadašnjim teorijskim spoznajama o inojezičnome razvoju iz perspektive teorije dinamičnih sustava (engl. Dynamic systems theory, tj. DST), o pokušaju oblikovanja razvojnoga indeksa, o pojavi teorijskoga pluralizma u okviru kojega se ukazalo na sličnosti između složenih nepravocrtnih sustava koji se pojavljuju u prirodi i pri ovladavanju inim jezikom te o različitim načinima mjerenja složenosti, točnosti i tečnosti, tj. STOT-a (engl. complexity, accuracy and fluency, tj. CAF). Opisuju se nove metode istraživanja inojezičnoga razvoja te daje detaljan pregled najvažnijih recentnih istraživanja u okviru teorije dinamičnih sustava, odnosno teorije kaosa ili složenosti (engl. Chaos/complexity theory, tj. C/ CT), teorije složenih prilagodljivih sustava (engl. Complex adaptive system theory, tj. CAS) i (nad)teorije složenih sustava (engl. Complex systems supra-theory).

scholarly journals Transformational Leadership and Innovation: An Empirical Study of Direct and Indirect Effects in HR Consulting Companies

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 131
Author(s):  
Esin Akay ◽  
Ayse Gonul Demirel
Keyword(s):  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Organizational Innovation ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Consulting Companies

This study aims to examine the influence of transformational leadership on organizational innovation through the mediating effect of organizational learning and knowledge management in Turkish HR consulting companies. Sample is selected from small, medium size and large HR consulting companies located in Istanbul. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping is used for data analysis. The research findings indicated that transformational leadership did not directly affect organizational innovation; transformational leadership directly affected organizational learning and knowledge management, and organizational learning directly impacted knowledge management. Besides, knowledge management directly affected organizational innovation, yet organizational learning indirectly influenced organizational innovation. Finally, transformational leadership indirectly influenced organizational innovation through the intervening effect of organizational learning and knowledge management. The results indicated that if managers in Turkish HR consulting companies practice a transformational leadership style by taking into account organizational learning and knowledge management, the chance for successful organizational innovation will highly improve.

scholarly journals Effects of knowledge management strategy and organizational learning capability on innovation-driven performance in an oil company

2016 ◽  
pp. 334-355
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Management Strategy ◽  
Organizational Innovation ◽  
Knowledge Management Strategy ◽  
Learning Capability ◽  
Learning Capacity ◽  
Positive Direct ◽  
Oil Company

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of knowledge management strategy and organizational learning capability on organizational performance with an emphasis on organizational innovation. The participants of the study include top, operational, and intermediate managers of an oil company. A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was developed and used to collect data from 161 managers. Confirmatory factor analysis, correlation test, and path analysis were used for analysis. The results showed that knowledge management strategy has a positive and meaningful effect on organizational innovation and that innovation has a positive, direct and meaningful effect on organizational performance. However, organizational learning capacity does not have a meaningful relationship with organizational innovation.

Transdisciplinary research methods and complexity theory in applied linguistics: introduction to the special issue

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Phil Hiver ◽  
Ali H. Al-Hoorie
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Complex Systems ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Dynamic Systems ◽  
Applied Linguistics ◽  
Dynamic Systems Theory ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Oxford University

Abstract Complexity theory/dynamic systems theory (CDST) has captured the imagination of many in the field of applied linguistics (Larsen-Freeman, Diane & Lynne Cameron. 2008. Complex systems and applied linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press; Ortega, Lourdes & Zhao Hong Han (eds.). 2017. Complexity theory and language development: In celebration of Diane Larsen-Freeman. Amsterdam: John Benjamins). As recent syntheses of the growing number of CDST-informed strands of applied linguistics research illustrates, it has emerged as an important influence on applied linguists’ thinking (see Larsen-Freeman, Diane. 2017. Complexity theory: The lessons continue. In Lourdes Ortega & Zhao Hong Han (eds.), Complexity theory and language development: In celebration of Diane Larsen-Freeman, 11–50. Amsterdam: John Benjamins). The fact that CDST has continued to permeate questions throughout the field is to be expected and welcomed.

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