Organizational unlearning: A process of tension imposition, integration, and splitting

Organizational unlearning plays a vital role in facilitating new product development (NPD); however, the microprocesses of unlearning (i.e., how to unlearn) remain unclear. We aim to open this black box by investigating how two important dimensions—beliefs and routines—change during the unlearning process, using a longitudinal case study approach. Through a case study of Geely Auto, we identified specific cognitive and behavioral practices in the unlearning process and categorized them into three stages according to their time of occurrence and consequences. By adopting a tension lens, we demonstrate that unlearning involves three sequential steps: tension imposition, integration, and splitting. Our case study demonstrates that unlearning NPD processes involves a complex interweaving of changes in beliefs and routines. We advance the literature on learning by revealing the microprocesses that underlie organizational unlearning, and we open a broad avenue for future research to explore the microfoundations of organizational unlearning.