Epistemological agency in the workplace

Abstract

Purpose - Feedback learning transforms social knowledge into individual knowledge. In this process, tension arises because the current knowledge impedes the assimilation of new learning. Therefore, the feedback requires what Schumpeter refers to as "creative destruction": discarding, or at least setting aside, the institutional order to enact variations that allow intuitive insights and actions to surface and be pursued. This paper examines the relative importance and significance of "technological systems" on feedback and the effects on the creation of relational capital. Design/methodology/approach - In this paper, the literature is reviewed to identify relevant measures and present a structural equation model, which is validated through an empirical investigation of 151 SMEs in the Spanish technological and information systems sector. Findings - The results indicate that "the creative destruction" depends on the technology system of the company. Furthermore, if the creative destruction is a prior step in the feedback process, then the feedback process is influenced more by the creative destruction. Practical implications - The results indicate that despite the majority of companies having connections to the internet, managers do not know the potential business benefits of technology systems for their clients, individuals and teams, and ignore the problem of human integration. Originality/value - The findings are significant, since they introduce the traditional focus of a technology system at the feedback learning process. Keywords: Feedback, Internet, Knowledge transfer, Learning Article Type: Research paper