Organizational unlearning: time to expand our horizons?

Framework for Implementing Individualised Dosing of Anti-Cancer Drugs in Routine Care: Overcoming the Logistical Challenges

Precision medicine in oncology involves identifying the 'right drug', at the 'right dose', for the right person. Currently, many orally administered anti-cancer drugs, particularly kinase inhibitors (KIs), are prescribed at a standard fixed dose. Identifying the right dose remains one of the biggest challenges to optimal patient care. Recently the Precision Dosing Group established the Accurate Dosing of Anti-cancer Patient-centred Therapies (ADAPT) Program to address individualised dosing; thus, use existing anti-cancer drugs more safely and efficiently. In this paper, we outline our framework, based on the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework, with a simple 6-step process and strategies which have led to the successful implementation of the ADAPT program in South Australia. Implementation strategies in our 6-step process involve: (1) Evaluate the evidence and identify the cancer drugs: Literature review, shadowing other experts, establishing academic partnerships, adaptability/flexibility; (2) Establishment of analytical equipment for drug assays for clinical purposes: assessment for readiness, accreditation, feasibility, obtaining formal commitments, quality assurance to all stakeholders; (3) Clinical preparation and education: educational material, conducted educational meetings, involve opinion leaders, use of mass media, promote network weaving, conduct ongoing training; (4) Blood collection, sample preparation and analyses: goods received procedures, critical control points (transport time); (5) Interpret and release results with recommendations: facilitate the relay of clinical data to providers; (6) Clinical application: providing ongoing consultation, identify early adopters, identify, and prepare champions. These strategies were selected from the 73 implementation strategies outlined in the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) study. The ADAPT program currently provides routine plasma concentrations for patients on several orally administered drugs in South Australia and is currently in its evaluation phase soon to be published. Our newly established framework could provide great potential and opportunities to advance individualised dosing of oral anti-cancer drugs in routine clinical care.

Application of learning organization 2.0: a case study of Ricoh Ena Forest Japan

Purpose

This paper aims to offer an empirical application of the concept of learning organization (LO) 2.0.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on fieldwork study, a case of Ricoh Ena Forest Project is presented to illustrate the contextualized and multi-stakeholder perspective of LO 2.0 in running an environmental sustainability project.

Findings

The case demonstrated the value of incorporating multiple stakeholders to develop a multi-party learning entity for sustainability pursuit. The findings also highlighted the importance of forfeiting managerial dominance and the creation of a shared commitment in implementing the concept of LO 2.0.

Originality/value

The study adds empirical evidence to the literature on how LO 2.0 can be implemented and provides guidance on tackling some of the potential challenges.

Secular discernment: A process of individual unlearning and collective relearning

Through a process of action research with a non-religious organization, this article provides a foundation for the characteristics of a secular discernment process. Importantly, we argue that discernment can be conceptualized as a process of entwined individual unlearning and collective relearning. Our action research study contributes to both the discernment and the unlearning literatures by unpacking how discernment encourages a process of individual unlearning – which our study suggests entails a process of ‘setting aside’ and reflexive-distancing from a priori individual knowledge – to be more open and receptive to new ways of emergent collective re-learning. The process of unlearning – and the behavioural norms and routines that are central to discernment – underscores the collective relearning process. The article concludes with future pathways for research.

In search for the missing link: studying the interrelationship between organizational learning and organizational culture change

Purpose

The interrelationship between organizational learning (OL) and organizational culture (OC) is often assumed at an abstract theoretical level, but there is yet no systematization of scholarly knowledge allowing to conceptualize and understand its precise nature. In this article, we therefore ask “How can we, based on the insights from the dispersed research studying OC and OL, conceptualize the interrelationship between the two concepts?” Our purpose is to create an overview on the past development path and the current status of research interrelating OL and OC, to use it as basis for the conceptualization of this interrelationship and to identify avenues for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

This article utilized a systematic literature review methodology by combining bibliometric and content analysis using relevant articles identified from the Scopus database. A two-stage literature review research approach was employed: (1) Bibliometric analysis was used to identify 416 relevant contributions and to present a comprehensive contextual picture of the interrelations between OL and OC research by analyzing the 162 most relevant articles. (2) A subsequent qualitative content analysis of the 45 most relevant academic contributions detailed and solidified the insights.

Findings

We identify four weakly linked thematic clusters on the interrelationship of OC and OL. Based on that, our analysis confirms the theorized bidirectional relationship between OC and OL: OC acts as antecedent, driver and result of OL processes, and OL processes are constrained by and alter OC. We moreover develop three propositions that put knowledge at the center of scholarly attention for understanding this interrelationship in more depth and develop avenues for future research.

Practical implications

Our research has important implications for managers as it shows that mastering leadership challenges is central for the success of OL processes and OC change. We moreover specify the leadership challenges that relate to particular types of OL processes. Managers need to take this interrelationship into account when setting out for OL or OC change processes, and carefully reflect on whether or not the decided OL measures fit the given OC, and the other way round.

Originality/value

Our contribution to existing research is threefold: It first lies in analytically mapping out the research field, second in conceptualizing the interrelationship between OC and OL and third in identifying open research questions and topics.

Organizational forgetting Part II: a review of the literature and future research directions

Purpose

The purpose of this two-part paper is to provide a summary of current research opportunities in organizational forgetting literature and a future research agenda.

Design/methodology/approach

The summary of current research opportunities and future research agenda is drawn from the systematic literature review and synthesis reported in Part I.

Findings

Two broad areas for future research are proposed: A first area that highlights a need to address integrative theoretical challenges that include issues of temporality, history, power dynamics, and organizational context. A second area that highlights a need to reconcile contradicting explanations – such as whether technological sophistication and codification practices versus social networks prevent knowledge depreciation and loss – through a multilevel perspective.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations relate to time span coverage and journal article accessibility.

Originality/value

This Part II paper provides a summary of current research opportunities and offers directions for future research on organizational forgetting.

Two forms of organizational unlearning: Insights from engaged scholarship research with change consultants

Following recent calls to extend our understanding of organizational unlearning, we gain empirical insights into how the process unfolds in practice. Based on the findings of a study with change consultants in Europe, we conceptualize two forms of organizational unlearning. First, open-ended unlearning refers to instances where organizational knowledge is intentionally discarded, but the outcomes of the change process are not known. Second, goal-directed unlearning refers to situations where organizations implement specified knowledge structures that are incompatible with established ones. We also find that both forms of organizational unlearning necessitate preparatory work and interventions that increase their likelihood to succeed. Outlining the implications of the organizational unlearning concept in organizational practice contributes to a better understanding of existing research. We further discuss implications for theory and outline avenues for future research.

Organizational forgetting Part I: a review of the literature and future research directions

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to systematically review and synthesize the literature on organizational forgetting.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review approach was used to synthesize current theoretical and empirical studies on organizational forgetting.

Findings

The review and synthesis of the literature revealed that the organizational forgetting literature is fragmented, with studies conducted across disparate fields and using different methodologies; two primary modes (i.e. accidental and purposeful) and three foci (i.e. knowledge depreciation, knowledge loss and unlearning) define current organizational forgetting literature; and the factors that influence organizational forgetting can be grouped into four clusters related to individuals, processes, tools and organizational context.

Research limitations/implications

This literature review has limitations related to time span coverage and journal article accessibility.

Originality/value

This paper offers an integrative view of organizational forgetting that proposes a holistic and multilevel research approach and systematic synthesis of organizational forgetting research.

Creating learning organization 2.0: a contextualized and multi-stakeholder approach

Purpose

This paper aims to offer a contextualized and multi-stakeholder perspective for creating a learning organization (LO) 2.0.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a systematic review of the critiques of LO in the past three decades, this paper suggests some possible directions for the development of next-generation of LO (e.g. LO 2.0).

Findings

It is suggested that LO 2.0 should adopt a contextualized perspective by considering the social, organizational, cultural and industrial contexts to enhance the success of LO implementation and help fine-tune the universal LO model. Accordingly, LO 2.0 should adopt a multi-stakeholder perspective by incorporating multiple stakeholders during the process of design and implementation under the rationales of counteracting managerial dominance of low-power marginalized employees and mitigating the impacts of increased competition and technology advancement.

Practical implications

This paper provides some practical advice to business practitioners regarding how the practices of LO 2.0 can be adopted.

Originality/value

The study adds to the existing LO literature by further supporting and developing a contextualized and multi-stakeholder perspective to create the next generation of LO.

Exploring linkages between unlearning and relearning in organizations

Purpose

Learning, unlearning and relearning (LUR) has been preached as a panacea to organizations. Whereas, research on learning and unlearning has grown exponentially, relearning is still considered as an obscure concept. This paper aims to provide a new insight on organizational relearning and highlight its linkages with organizational unlearning.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based upon a systematic literature review of organizational unlearning and organizational relearning. Papers expounding upon relearning were carefully analyzed vis-à-vis organizational unlearning.

Findings

Organizational unlearning and organizational relearning assume a vital place in developing a learning organization. However, linking the two processes in a sequence tends to arouse certain conceptual difficulties. First, it is not necessary that relearning follows this prescribed ordering sequence. It is a process that can happen without prior unlearning. Second, based on the process model and multiple definitions of unlearning, the very purpose of organizational unlearning is to acquire new knowledge (relearning in literature). Therefore, in this sense, relearning seems to become a redundant concept and a neologism. As a result, this hampers the proper contextualization of relearning.

Originality/value

This paper attempts to expound upon the debate of organizational relearning and its interplay with organizational unlearning. As the concept of lifelong learning and building learning organizations assumes the center stage in contemporary organizations, it is suggested that unless the conceptual issues of related to LUR are not adequately addressed, academicians will naturally find it difficult to prescribe proper course of action to practitioners.