Emergent learning behaviour in a simulated organization faced with tasks requiring team effort

• Published in: The Journal of the Operational Research Society Vol. 57; no. 5; pp. 603 - 611
• Main Authors: Deng, P-S, Tsacle, E G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Taylor & Francis 01.05.2006; Palgrave Macmillan Press; Palgrave; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Applied sciences; coalition; Coalitions; Collaborative learning; Communities of practice; Computational modeling; Cooperative learning; double-loop learning; Economic competition; Exact sciences and technology; Knowledge; knowledge market; Learning; Logistic functions; Machine learning; Mathematical vectors; Modeling; multiple-step learning tasks; Operational research and scientific management; Operational research. Management science; Operations research; Optimization. Search problems; Organizational learning; Problem solving; simulated organizational learning; Simulation; Simulations; single-loop learning; Studies; Teams; Theoretical Papers; Collective learning; double-loop learning; Multistage process; Coalition; multiple-step learning tasks; simulated organizational learning; single-loop learning; knowledge market
• ISSN: 0160-5682; 1476-9360
• DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602045

We conceptualize organizational learning as a result of the collective learning behaviour of knowledge agents in an organization. Each agent provides a range of attributes that may be required to perform organizational tasks. We devised a computational model consisting of three processes to simulate an organization's response to performing repeated tasks: (1) Expert Selection Process for selecting the winner knowledge agent or lead agent; (2) Plan Formation Process for deciding what additional attributes are needed, but not possessed by the winner expert agent, and iteratively selecting further agents with the needed attributes until the task can be accomplished by the combined attributes of the 'coalition of agents' so formed; and (3) Capital Modification Process for rewarding participating agents according to the success of their combined organizational performance. We observed the simulated results for different combinations of three levels of task difficulty (requiring, respectively, 5, 10 and, 15 different attributes, each at a sufficient level in the coalition or team to complete the task), and three levels of selection, during plan formation, for knowledge agent performance (the extent to which selection favours knowledge agents with much capital or large strength versus knowledge agents without much capital or large strength). The simulated organization exhibited aspects of both single loop and double loop learning, in repeatedly performing the same task, and 'learning to perform the task' with the smallest possible team.