| Many organisational learning researchers have been working on finding critical factors that allow organisations to learn better ways to make changes. Discussions on the ontology of learning activists within organisations, however, are limited. It is asserted that the knowledge agent (KA) is the simplest unitary entity to deal with collective issues in organisations. The Knowledge Agent Theory (KAT) has therefore been conceptualised, in which the KA operates in an autopoietic closed system that has four characteristics: autonomous within its boundaries, self-producing components to maintain its identity, self-referencing cognitive resources as inputs for the fourth characteristic, and self-observing the need to learn. Cross-case participatory observation research has been employed to verify the constructs of the KAT. The soft goods industry with its long history in searching for leagile manufacturing capacity under changing business environments is selected for study. The replication logic is used along with the participation of four firms in the textiles and clothing industry and an operation management consultant which comprise the sampling frame in this study. To validate the primary data, multiple sources of evidence are collected from naturalistic environment to observe learning behaviours. More than one hundred informants were involved.;The analysis identifies three types of learning groups: pseudo-, quasi- and proper KAs. The findings confirm that members who have the cognitive ability to learn, willingness and an action plan for change potentially have the components to become KAs. The commonality between members and tolerance of differences allow individuals to establish double neighbourhood relations at the individual and organisational levels with which members are bonded together to activate the functions of KAs to effectively handle collective problems in organisations. The cross-case findings indicate that both pseudo- and quasi-KAs fail to hold autopoietic characteristics while self-referencing, self-observing and self-producing capabilities are seen in proper KA entities. The ontology of KAs will be explained and evidence to verify the construct of the newly developed KAT will be provided. This will contribute to empirical studies for future research in the domains of autopoietic properties that will allow practitioners to apply the theory in practice. |
