Related Experiment Videos
Learning from samples of one or fewer. 1991
J G March1, L S Sproull, M Tamuz
1Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
Quality & Safety in Health Care
|December 4, 2003
Summary
Organizations transform rare events into historical lessons, balancing agreement with accuracy. This research examines methods and challenges in organizational learning from limited historical data.
Area of Science:
- Organizational Behavior
- Management Science
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Organizations typically learn from repeated experiences, but infrequent events pose unique challenges.
- Effective interpretation of rare historical events is crucial for organizational adaptation and knowledge creation.
Discussion:
- This study investigates organizational methods for converting infrequent events into shared historical interpretations.
- It explores the inherent tension between achieving consensus on interpretations and ensuring their factual accuracy.
Key Insights:
- Organizations employ various strategies to learn from historical fragments, though consensus and validity are not guaranteed.
- The process involves navigating challenges in interpretation and agreement, impacting organizational learning.
Outlook:
- Future research could focus on refining methods for more accurate and agreed-upon historical interpretations.
- Understanding learning from rare events can enhance organizational resilience and performance.