Learning and process improvement in knowledge organizations: a critical analysis of four contemporary myths

Discusses the concepts of knowledge, information and data. Analyses the concept of knowledge organizations with the focus on its reliance on knowledge workers and intense information flow. Based on the previous discussion, critically analyses four contemporary myths: (1) process improvement should focus on activities; (2) process improvement should itself be a top‐down process; (3) organizations should be learning systems; and (4) fragmentation should be avoided. Argues that these myths are particularly deceiving and potentially dangerous owing to their incompatibility with the concept of knowledge organizations and the way these organizations operate.