Exploring the Relationships between Network Change and Network Learning

Abstract

This paper relates the concept of network learning - learning by a group of organizations as a group - to change and notions of change management. Derived initially from a review of literature on organizational learning (OL) and inter-organizational networks, and secondary cases of network learning, the concept was evaluated and developed through empirical investigation of five network learning episodes in the group of organizations that comprises the English prosthetics service. We argue that the notion of network learning enables a richer understanding of developments in networks over extended periods of time than can be afforded through more established concepts of change and change management alone.