The Role of Learning and Exploration in Quality Management and Continuous Improvement

The long-term health of any organization depends on its commitment to continuous improvement, which is one aspect of quality management. While we do not yet fully understand the link between quality management and organizational performance, previous research suggests that this relationship is often moderated or mediated by other factors. This chapter specifically considers the role that learning and exploration play in continuous improvement efforts within organizations. The aim of this discussion is to extend previous considerations regarding the juxtaposition of stability and reliability (control) versus exploration and innovation (learning) in quality/continuous improvement; hence, this work first explores learning in terms of a process that generates knowledge that organizations use to build competitive advantage. This chapter also examines the need to balance between the exploitation of existing knowledge and the exploration of new alternatives. This discussion suggests that learning and exploration are mutually beneficial when considered within the context of continuous improvement. In addition, these concepts compliment traditional notions of quality management/improvement and, therefore, expand our thinking about these topics.

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