The Impact of Caution and Blame on Organizational Learning

The aim of this article is to examine the relationship between emotion, learning and organizing. In particular, this involves developing an understanding of how emotional and political aspects of organizing can shed light on the tensions between individual and organizational learning. The research highlights organizational dynamics created through repeated patterns of caution and blame within a public sector organization. The study shows how these dynamics inhibited processes of reflection and communication within the organization, undermining the implementation and further development of strategies explicitly designed for organizational learning. The article explores the politics that arise from attempts to organize learning, as well as how organizational politics are created from and reinforced by emotions expressed both individually and collectively. The final section covers discussions on the contribution of this study to organizational learning, the implications of the study for organizations, and issues for further research.