A Complex Systems Paradox of Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management

Soheil Ghili, Serima Nazarian, Madjid Tavana, Sepehr Keyvanshokouhi and Mohammad Taghi Isaai
Additional contact information
Soheil Ghili: Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
Serima Nazarian: DePaul University, Chicago, IL, USA
Madjid Tavana: Business Systems Analytics Department. La Salle University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Sepehr Keyvanshokouhi: Graduate School of Management and Economics, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Taghi Isaai: Graduate School of Management and Economics, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

International Journal of Knowledge-Based Organizations (IJKBO), 2013, vol. 3, issue 3, 53-72

Abstract: 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.

Date: 2013
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://services.igi-global.com/resolvedoi/resolve. ... 018/ijkbo.2013070104 (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:igg:jkbo00:v:3:y:2013:i:3:p:53-72

Access Statistics for this article

International Journal of Knowledge-Based Organizations (IJKBO) is currently edited by John Wang

More articles in International Journal of Knowledge-Based Organizations (IJKBO) from IGI Global
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Journal Editor ().