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Strategic Learning: The Continuous Side of Discontinuous Strategic Change

Author

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  • Kotaro Kuwada

    (Faculty of Economics, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami Ohsawa, Hachiohji-shi, Tokyo, Japan 192-0397)

Abstract

The author introduces the concept of strategic learning to explain long-run dynamics of strategic behaviors and organizations. Because a firm's long-run adaptation is realized through a series of strategic behaviors and organizational innovations, organizational capability to design effective strategic behaviors and organizational structure is critical for a firm's growth and survival. A series of strategic behaviors is shaped through the stable generation mechanism. Strategic learning is organizational learning that improves the strategic capability of the organization and changes the basic assumptions underlying the stable generation mechanism that structures the strategic behavior design process. Organizations have various levels of knowledge and learn at all levels. The levels of organizational learning interact, making higher order learning such as strategic learning problematic. Distinguishing characteristics of strategic learning are that it is learning without questioning and without unlearning in advance. It starts from a current set of basic assumptions and ends with a new set of basic assumptions. Referring to related literature and a case study, the author describes the process of strategic learning as an intraorganizational ecological process, integrating various levels of learning in organizations and including processes of both strategic knowledge creation and strategic knowledge distillation. He also discusses theoretical and practical implications derived from the strategic learning model.

Suggested Citation

  • Kotaro Kuwada, 1998. "Strategic Learning: The Continuous Side of Discontinuous Strategic Change," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 9(6), pages 719-736, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:9:y:1998:i:6:p:719-736
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.9.6.719
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Radu Catalina & Grigore Ana-Maria & Badea Florica, 2010. "The Impact Of Organizations' Potential Of Competitiveness On Their Current Strategic And Tactical Movements," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(2), pages 997-1001, December.
    4. Sirén, Charlotta & Kohtamäki, Marko, 2016. "Stretching strategic learning to the limit: The interaction between strategic planning and learning," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 653-663.
    5. Joydeep Chatterjee, 2017. "Strategy, human capital investments, business‐domain capabilities, and performance: a study in the global software services industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(3), pages 588-608, March.
    6. Bhatti, Waheed Akbar & Larimo, Jorma & Coudounaris, Dafnis N., 2016. "The effect of experiential learning on subsidiary knowledge and performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(5), pages 1567-1571.
    7. Fosfuri, Andrea & Giarratana, Marco S., 2004. "Product strategies and startups' survival in turbulent industries: evidence from the security software industry," DEE - Working Papers. Business Economics. WB wb044816, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Departamento de Economía de la Empresa.
    8. Timothy Kiessling & Michael Harvey & Miriam Moeller, 2009. "Small and medium-sized firms top management teams’ decision making in global acquisitions," Tržište/Market, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, vol. 21(1), pages 95-117.
    9. Iivari Bäck & Marko Kohtamäki, 2016. "Joint Learning in Innovative R&D Collaboration," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(1), pages 62-86, January.
    10. James B. Thomas & Stephanie Watts Sussman & John C. Henderson, 2001. "Understanding “Strategic Learning”: Linking Organizational Learning, Knowledge Management, and Sensemaking," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(3), pages 331-345, June.
    11. Danis, Wade M., 2003. "Differences in values, practices, and systems among Hungarian managers and Western expatriates: an organizing framework and typology," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 224-244, August.
    12. Alain Pinsonneault & Kenneth L. Kraemer, 2002. "Exploring the Role of Information Technology in Organizational Downsizing: A Tale of Two American Cities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 13(2), pages 191-208, April.
    13. Zeeshan Asim & Shahryar Sorooshian, 2019. "Exploring the Role of Knowledge, Innovation and Technology Management (KNIT) Capabilities that Influence Research and Development," JOItmC, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-47, April.
    14. Gupta, Gaurav & Bose, Indranil, 2019. "Strategic learning for digital market pioneering: Examining the transformation of Wishberry's crowdfunding model," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 865-876.
    15. Jianyu Zhao & Yining Huang & Xi Xi & Shanshan Wang, 2021. "How knowledge heterogeneity influences business model design: mediating effects of strategic learning and bricolage," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 889-919, June.
    16. Elena Antonacopoulou & Wolfgang H Güttel & Stephan Kaiser & Allan Macpherson & Jérôme Méric, 2012. "Editorial: Why strategic organisational learning and why now?," Post-Print hal-02153382, HAL.
    17. Jha, Pushkar. P. & Lampel, Joseph, 2014. "Performance feedback, competitive repertoire simplicity, and technological evolution in a televised design contest," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 403-413.
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    19. Hatani, Faith & McGaughey, Sara L., 2013. "Network cohesion in global expansion: An evolutionary view," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 48(4), pages 455-465.
    20. Pauwels, P.F.J. & Matthyssens, P., 2002. "The dynamics of international market withdrawal," Research Memorandum 038, Maastricht University, Maastricht Research School of Economics of Technology and Organization (METEOR).
    21. Garrett, Robert P. & Covin, Jeffrey G. & Slevin, Dennis P., 2009. "Market responsiveness, top management risk taking, and the role of strategic learning as determinants of market pioneering," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(8), pages 782-788, August.

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