TY - JOUR
T1 - Organizational unlearning as changes in beliefs and routines in organizations
AU - Akgün, Ali E.
AU - Byrne, John C.
AU - Lynn, Gary S.
AU - Keskin, Halit
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - Purpose: Organizational learning and unlearning is a popular and important topic in business as well as academia. Even though there is a plethora of studies on organizational learning, surprisingly little is known about the conceptualization and operationalization of organizational unlearning. The purpose of this paper is to discuss organizational unlearning based on the organizational change and memory literature enhancing the organizational learning and change scholarship. Design/methodology/approach: It is argued that unlearning is conceptualized as organizational memory eliminating, and is operationalized as changing beliefs and routines covariates in organizations. This is followed with a discussion of unlearning types, specifically, reinventive, formative, operative and adjustive, which are contingent on the environmental conditions. Finally, future research suggestions are proposed to leverage understanding on unlearning in the literature. Findings: Shows that organizations first need to unlearn established beliefs and methods which have created rules and competency traps, in order to be receptive to new market and technology information. Originality/value: This paper is of value in shedding light on the unlearning concept based on the organizational memory and change literature.
AB - Purpose: Organizational learning and unlearning is a popular and important topic in business as well as academia. Even though there is a plethora of studies on organizational learning, surprisingly little is known about the conceptualization and operationalization of organizational unlearning. The purpose of this paper is to discuss organizational unlearning based on the organizational change and memory literature enhancing the organizational learning and change scholarship. Design/methodology/approach: It is argued that unlearning is conceptualized as organizational memory eliminating, and is operationalized as changing beliefs and routines covariates in organizations. This is followed with a discussion of unlearning types, specifically, reinventive, formative, operative and adjustive, which are contingent on the environmental conditions. Finally, future research suggestions are proposed to leverage understanding on unlearning in the literature. Findings: Shows that organizations first need to unlearn established beliefs and methods which have created rules and competency traps, in order to be receptive to new market and technology information. Originality/value: This paper is of value in shedding light on the unlearning concept based on the organizational memory and change literature.
KW - Learning organizations
KW - Memory
KW - Organizational change
KW - Organizational culture
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U2 - 10.1108/09534810710831028
DO - 10.1108/09534810710831028
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:35348885557
SN - 0953-4814
VL - 20
SP - 794
EP - 812
JO - Journal of Organizational Change Management
JF - Journal of Organizational Change Management
IS - 6
ER -