Re-theorizing external learning : insights from economic and industrial espionage
By: FERDINAND, Jason
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Contributor(s): SIMM, David.
Material type: 
ArticlePublisher: London : Sage Publications, July 2007Management Learning 38, 3, p. 297-317Abstract: This article develops our understanding of external learning by drawing upon evidence of economic and industrial espionage. We draw attention to the normative assumption of authors in the field that organizational learning is necessarily an entirely legitimate activity. We demonstrate that contemporary debate could benefit from research exploring illegal forms of learning. Three vignettes capturing different aspects of economic and industrial espionage are presented to illustrate the limitations of our current conceptualizations of external learning and its ethical dimensions, and to provide a basis for a re-theorization. The article concludes with the presentation of an indicative model of external learning and some suggestions for a revised research agenda
This article develops our understanding of external learning by drawing upon evidence of economic and industrial espionage. We draw attention to the normative assumption of authors in the field that organizational learning is necessarily an entirely legitimate activity. We demonstrate that contemporary debate could benefit from research exploring illegal forms of learning. Three vignettes capturing different aspects of economic and industrial espionage are presented to illustrate the limitations of our current conceptualizations of external learning and its ethical dimensions, and to provide a basis for a re-theorization. The article concludes with the presentation of an indicative model of external learning and some suggestions for a revised research agenda
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