Article Version of Record

Cognitive foundations of organizational learning: Re-introducing the distinction between declarative and non-declarative knowledge.

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Kump, B.
Moskaliuk, J.
Cress, U.
Kimmerle, J.

Other kind(s) of contributor

Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien

Abstract / Description

Contemporary research into socio-cognitive foundations of organizational learning tends to disregard the distinction between declarative and non-declarative knowledge. By reviewing the literature from organizational learning research and cognitive psychology we explain that this distinction is crucial. We describe the foundations of organizational learning by referring to models that consider the interplay between individual and collective knowledge-related processes in organizations. We highlight the existence of a research gap resulting from the finding that these approaches have widely neglected the existence of different types of knowledge. We then elaborate on characteristics of declarative and non-declarative knowledge in general, consider organizations as structures of distributed cognition, and discuss the relationship between organizational knowledge and practice. Subsequently, we examine the role of declarative and non-declarative knowledge in the context of organizational learning. Here, we analyze (1) the cognitive and social mechanisms underlying the development of declarative and non-declarative knowledge within structures of distributed cognition and (2) the relationship between alterations in declarative and non-declarative types of knowledge on the one hand and changes in organizational practice on the other. Concluding, we discuss implications of our analysis for organizational learning research. We explain how our integrative perspective may offer starting points for a refined understanding of the sub-processes involved in organizational learning and unlearning and may support a better understanding of practical problems related to organizational learning and change.

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2015

Journal title

Frontiers in Psychology

Volume

6

Page numbers

1489

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01489

Citation

  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Kump, B.
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Moskaliuk, J.
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Cress, U.
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Kimmerle, J.
  • Other kind(s) of contributor
    Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2017-08-28T11:11:13Z
  • Made available on
    2017-08-28T11:11:13Z
  • Date of first publication
    2015
  • Abstract / Description
    Contemporary research into socio-cognitive foundations of organizational learning tends to disregard the distinction between declarative and non-declarative knowledge. By reviewing the literature from organizational learning research and cognitive psychology we explain that this distinction is crucial. We describe the foundations of organizational learning by referring to models that consider the interplay between individual and collective knowledge-related processes in organizations. We highlight the existence of a research gap resulting from the finding that these approaches have widely neglected the existence of different types of knowledge. We then elaborate on characteristics of declarative and non-declarative knowledge in general, consider organizations as structures of distributed cognition, and discuss the relationship between organizational knowledge and practice. Subsequently, we examine the role of declarative and non-declarative knowledge in the context of organizational learning. Here, we analyze (1) the cognitive and social mechanisms underlying the development of declarative and non-declarative knowledge within structures of distributed cognition and (2) the relationship between alterations in declarative and non-declarative types of knowledge on the one hand and changes in organizational practice on the other. Concluding, we discuss implications of our analysis for organizational learning research. We explain how our integrative perspective may offer starting points for a refined understanding of the sub-processes involved in organizational learning and unlearning and may support a better understanding of practical problems related to organizational learning and change.
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/500
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.708
  • Is version of
    10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01489
  • Title
    Cognitive foundations of organizational learning: Re-introducing the distinction between declarative and non-declarative knowledge.
  • DRO type
    article
  • Leibniz institute name(s) / abbreviation(s)
    IWM
  • Leibniz subject classification
    Psychologie
  • Journal title
    Frontiers in Psychology
  • Page numbers
    1489
  • Volume
    6
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record