Unlearning and relearning in firms

摘要

The norm for companies today is to operate within business environments which are in an almost constant state of flux. Remaining competitive therefore demands sufficient flexibility needed to evolve and adapt as necessary. Failure is a genuine possibility for organizations which come up short of meeting these requirements. Given that operating conditions continue to become more difficult, organizational learning has naturally accrued greater importance than ever before. Its effectiveness is vital if companies are to successfully handle the increasingly tough challenges facing them. Most studies have thus far focused largely on learning and unlearning. The latter is used to describe the process whereby firms question the relevance of existing beliefs, knowledge and practices. Anything deemed to have become outmoded or inappropriate can then be discarded accordingly. This paves the way for new knowledge to emerge that is more relevant in the quest to find solutions to current and future problems. Unlearning is thus now regarded as an integral part of an organization's journey forward.