The Forgotten Function of Forgetting: Revisiting Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning
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In: Soziale Systeme, Vol. 12, No. 1, 01.05.2006, p. 100-120.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The Forgotten Function of Forgetting
T2 - Revisiting Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning
AU - Blaschke, Steffen
AU - Schoeneborn, Dennis
PY - 2006/5/1
Y1 - 2006/5/1
N2 - Computational simulation has become a widely accepted research methodology in the social sciences, particularly in the study of organizations. In this paper, we first replicate a computational simulation of exploration and exploitation in organizational learning by James G. March). We then modify and extend the replication with respect to the theory of social systems of Niklas Luhmann. While March's original simulation model features both knowledge and learning, we complement his model with Luhmann's concept of memory, here understood as the continuous discrimination between forgetting and remembering. In this light, it can be shown that forgetting serves as a source of dynamic instability for an organization. It inhibits paralysis caused by inconsistencies in the organization's history and thereby represents an enabling condition for new irritability and thus learning.
AB - Computational simulation has become a widely accepted research methodology in the social sciences, particularly in the study of organizations. In this paper, we first replicate a computational simulation of exploration and exploitation in organizational learning by James G. March). We then modify and extend the replication with respect to the theory of social systems of Niklas Luhmann. While March's original simulation model features both knowledge and learning, we complement his model with Luhmann's concept of memory, here understood as the continuous discrimination between forgetting and remembering. In this light, it can be shown that forgetting serves as a source of dynamic instability for an organization. It inhibits paralysis caused by inconsistencies in the organization's history and thereby represents an enabling condition for new irritability and thus learning.
KW - Management studies
UR - http://www.mendeley.com/research/forgotten-function-forgetting-revisiting-exploration-exploitation-organizational-learning
U2 - 10.1515/sosys-2006-0107
DO - 10.1515/sosys-2006-0107
M3 - Journal articles
VL - 12
SP - 100
EP - 120
JO - Soziale Systeme
JF - Soziale Systeme
SN - 2366-0473
IS - 1
ER -