scholarly journals A novel taxonomy of organizational learning contextual factors: Review of 2004–2020 top-ranked journals

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-30
Author(s):  
Sara Scipioni

As a dynamic phenomenon that interacts across different levels – individual, group, organizational, interorganizational – the development of a unique multilevel theory of Organizational Learning (OL) is absent and challenging. The intent of this paper is to contribute to the advancement of such a theory. In this context, a systematic review of the 2004-2020 literature was carried out, with analysis of 120 papers selected from management and organization science top-ranked journals. Based on the conceptualization of OL as multiple processes of knowledge creation, transfer, and retention, the reviewed papers highlight that internal and external environments, organizational culture, strategy, structure, leadership, technology, and shared environments need to be considered for a comprehensive understanding of vertical trickle-down OL processes, and of bottom-up emerging OL processes, in both single and multi-level OL analyses. This study contributes to the theory of OL with the presentation of a novel taxonomy of contextual factors that could help researchers in the development of comprehensive OL studies. The implications offered should support the definition of a multilevel theory for OL that embraces all the relevant factors that influence its processes across the different organizational levels. The review closes with specific recommendations for further studies in OL.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1021
Author(s):  
Sara Scipioni ◽  
Meir Russ ◽  
Federico Niccolini

To contribute to small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) sustainable transition into the circular economy, the study proposes the activation of organizational learning (OL) processes—denoted here as multi-level knowledge creation, transfer, and retention processes—as a key phase in introducing circular business models (CBMs) at SME and supply chain (SC) level. The research employs a mixed-method approach, using the focus group methodology to identify contextual elements impacting on CBM-related OL processes, and a survey-based evaluation to single out the most frequently used OL processes inside Italian construction SMEs. As a main result, a CBM-oriented OL multi-level model offers a fine-grained understanding of contextual elements acting mutually as barriers and drivers for OL processes, as possible OL dynamics among them. The multi-level culture construct—composed of external stakeholders’, SC stakeholders’, and organizational culture—identify the key element to activate CBM-oriented OL processes. Main implications are related to the identification of cultural, structural, regulatory, and process contextual elements across the external, SC, and organizational levels, and their interrelation with applicable intraorganizational and interorganizational learning processes. The proposed model would contribute to an improved implementation of transitioning into the circular economy utilizing sustainable business models in the construction SMEs.


Author(s):  
Sara Scipioni ◽  
Meir Russ ◽  
Federico Niccolini

To contribute to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) sustainable transition into the circular economy, the study proposes the activation of organizational learning (OL) processes – denoted here as multi-level knowledge creation, transfer, and retention processes – as a key phase in introducing circular business models (CBMs) at SME and supply chain (SC) level. The research employs a mixed-method approach, using the focus group methodology to identify contextual elements impacting on CBM-related OL processes, and a survey-based evaluation to single out the most frequently used OL processes inside Italian construction SMEs. As main result, a CBM-oriented OL multi-level model offers a fine-grained understanding of contextual elements acting mutually as barriers and drivers for OL processes, as possible OL dynamics among them. The multi-level culture construct – composed of external stakeholders’, SC stakeholders’, and organizational culture – identify the key element to activate CBM-oriented OL processes. Main implications are related to the identification of cultural, structural, regulatory, and process contextual elements across the external, SC, and organizational levels, and their interrelation with applicable intraorganizational and interorganizational learning processes. The proposed model would contribute to an improved implementation of transitioning into the circular economy utilizing sustainable business models in the construction SMEs.


Author(s):  
Juan de Lara ◽  
Esther Guerra

AbstractModelling is an essential activity in software engineering. It typically involves two meta-levels: one includes meta-models that describe modelling languages, and the other contains models built by instantiating those meta-models. Multi-level modelling generalizes this approach by allowing models to span an arbitrary number of meta-levels. A scenario that profits from multi-level modelling is the definition of language families that can be specialized (e.g., for different domains) by successive refinements at subsequent meta-levels, hence promoting language reuse. This enables an open set of variability options given by all possible specializations of the language family. However, multi-level modelling lacks the ability to express closed variability regarding the availability of language primitives or the possibility to opt between alternative primitive realizations. This limits the reuse opportunities of a language family. To improve this situation, we propose a novel combination of product lines with multi-level modelling to cover both open and closed variability. Our proposal is backed by a formal theory that guarantees correctness, enables top-down and bottom-up language variability design, and is implemented atop the MetaDepth multi-level modelling tool.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 1464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfonso Romero-Conrado ◽  
Jairo Coronado-Hernandez ◽  
Gregorio Rius-Sorolla ◽  
José García-Sabater

The definition of lot sizes represents one of the most important decisions in production planning. Lot-sizing turns into an increasingly complex set of decisions that requires efficient solution approaches, in response to the time-consuming exact methods (LP, MIP). This paper aims to propose a Tabu list-based algorithm (TLBA) as an alternative to the Generic Materials and Operations Planning (GMOP) model. The algorithm considers a multi-level, multi-item planning structure. It is initialized using a lot-for-lot (LxL) method and candidate solutions are evaluated through an iterative Material Requirements Planning (MRP) procedure. Three different sizes of test instances are defined and better results are obtained in the large and medium-size problems, with minimum average gaps close to 10.5%.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (514) ◽  
pp. 220-230
Author(s):  
O. M. Iastremska ◽  
◽  
O. О. Iastremska ◽  

The article is concerned with the issues of determining and evaluating the economic sustainability of enterprise. The publication analyzes the views of scholars on the definition of «economic sustainability of enterprise». A closer definition of this concept is proposed, according to which under the economic sustainability of enterprise it is advisable to understand its complex ability to respond to and withstand the influence of negative relevant factors of the external and internal environment, while maintaining its internal structure, dynamics of operation, which contributes to the achievement of the main goals of functioning and development of enterprises. The main components of economic sustainability of enterprise are allocated, including: financial, industrial, personnel, organizational, marketing, social, environmental, investment, innovation. The main stages of the process of ensuring economic sustainability of enterprise are proposed, the basis of implementing which is the principles of unity – interconnectedness and subordination of all components of sustainability; complexity, which involves taking into account relevant factors of influence; continuity – implementation of the regulatory process on the basis of permanence and sustainability; adequacy, i.e. compliance of the system with patterns of enterprise development. The proposed components and stages of ensuring and determining the economic sustainability of enterprise are used as the basis of the developed methodical approach concerning its quantitative assessment, which is built up using methods of multidimensional factor, cluster analysis, additive convolution method for calculating the integral indicator of economic sustainability of enterprises. The developed methodical approach was tested on the statistical data of nine machine-building enterprises of Kharkiv region, which proved its applied value and possibility of further use.


2021 ◽  
pp. 71-100
Author(s):  
R. Barry Ruback

Chapter 4 describes seven multimethod studies that look at the imposition of restitution from the state, multi-county, and single-county perspectives and that examine both legally relevant factors (e.g., offense type, prior record) and demographic factors (race, age, gender) in judges’ decisions. Across studies, restitution was more likely to be imposed when damages could be easily estimated and proved (e.g., property crimes) and when the victim was a business. A statewide analysis of sentencing decisions indicated that a law mandating restitution significantly increased the imposition of restitution. A subsequent survey study of judges, prosecutors, and probation officers indicated general support for restitution, and an analysis of statewide county-level sentencing data indicated that contextual factors relating to crime victims were also related to the imposition of restitution. Comparisons of counties with and without specialized collection units suggested that specialized collections units were less effective at collecting economic sanctions.


Author(s):  
Farley Simon Nobre ◽  
Andrew M. Tobias ◽  
David S. Walker

Chapter III introduces definitions, premises, and propositions towards a theory of organizational cognition. It proposes principles about organizational cognition and thus it clearly distinguishes organizational cognition from the concept of organizational learning. It outlines the concept of hierarchic levels of cognition in organizational systems and thus it proposes cognition as an important element of the organization. It presents new definitions on organizations, environment along with the relations between them through cognitive perspectives. Such definitions include concepts of intelligence, cognition, autonomy, and complexity for organizations. It derives a definition of environmental complexity and it proceeds by introducing propositions about the relations between organizational complexity and environmental complexity. While the former is synonymous with organizational cognition, the latter is synonymous with environmental uncertainty.


2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (01) ◽  
pp. 1550008 ◽  
Author(s):  
RANGGA ALMAHENDRA ◽  
BJÖRN AMBOS

The exploration–exploitation tension has been resonated and applied in diverse areas of management research. Its applications have deviated substantially from the scope of organisational learning as originally proposed by March [(1991). Exploration and exploitation in organizational learning. Organization Science, 2(1), 71–87]. Scholars have developed set of definitions, new conceptualisations, and varied applications in rejuvenating the concept; and literatures on this topic seem do not significantly ensure a conclusive picture. It is still also unclear what are the antecedents and following scientific breakthroughs which may have led to the divergence of this construct. This study offers an added value as it becomes the first to apply a bibliometric analysis, combined with fine-grained content analysis to attain a more comprehensive understanding on how the construct of exploration–exploitation have grown and evolved during the last 20 years. We attempt to grasp the structural pattern of citing behaviour and collective understanding among scholars, through conducting in-depth bibliographic review in a complete population of articles on this topic, published in leading journals following March [(1991). Exploration and exploitation in organizational learning. Organization Science, 2(1), 71–87]. This study identifies the intellectual base articles which form the basis of the exploration–exploitation and the turning point articles that shift the discussion into different directions.


2003 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y.L. Jack Lam ◽  
S.K. Nicholas Pang

In the context of rapid environmental changes under current school reform, the present paper attempts to locate an answer for a historical question related to the sources of organizational changes and for a prevailing question probing the relationships among external, internal and contextual factors affecting school organizational learning. Based on the information provided by 1,197 teaching staff from 67 Hong Kong government‐aided elementary and secondary schools, the present study confirms the proposition advanced by the “strategic choice school”, that it is leadership action which accounts for organizational adaptation. Moreover, through a series of path analyses, transformational leadership along with supportive culture and flexible structure are mainly accountable for organizational learning, while external and contextual conditions provide the additional incentives in dictating the extent of organizational learning that is taking place in schools.


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