Institutional Amnesia: A Paradox of the &apos;Information Age&apos;?

Pollitt, Christopher C

doi:10.1080/08109020050000627

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Prometheus

Volume 18, Issue 1

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Institutional Amnesia: A Paradox of the 'Information Age'?

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Author(s): Christopher Pollitt

Publication date (Print): March 2000

Journal: Prometheus

Publisher: Pluto Journals

Keywords: Information Age, Institutional Amnesia, Public Sector, Re-STRUCTURING, Re-ENGINEERING

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Abstract

It is one of the paradoxes of our age that, while new information technologies have provided us with the ability to store, retrieve, manipulate and communicate more data, faster than ever before, at the same time many of our public institutions seem to be losing their memories. Many texts have been written about 'organizational learning', but few about organizational forgetting. The core contention of this paper is that the phenomenon of organizational amnesia deserves attention, from scholars and practitioners alike. My aim, therefore, is to set out the character, causes and likely consequences of institutional memory loss in the contemporary public sector.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): cpro20

Journal ID (archive): CPRO

Title: Prometheus

Subtitle: Critical Studies in Innovation

Publisher: Pluto Journals

ISSN (Print): 0810-9028

ISSN (Electronic): 1470-1030

Publication date (Print): March 2000

Volume: 18

Issue: 1

Pages: 5-16

Article

Publisher ID: 10032368 Coden ID: Prometheus, Vol. 18, No. 1, March 2000, pp. 5-16

DOI: 10.1080/08109020050000627

SO-VID: d407bc7c-9f9b-4da4-bb02-a79904d462bc

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All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

History

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Figures: 0, Tables: 0, References: 37, Pages: 12

References

Goodin R.. , ed. 1996. . The Theory of Institutional Design . , Cambridge : : Cambridge University Press. .
Olsen J. and Peters G. B.. , eds. 1996. . Lessons from Experience: Experience Learning in Administrative Reforms in Eight Democracies . , p. 4––6. . Oslo : : Scandinavian University Press. .
North D.. 1990. . “Institutions. ”. In Institutional Change and Economic Performance . , Cambridge : : Cambridge University Press. .
Pierson P.. 'Path dependence, increasing returns, and the study of polities'. In: . Paper presented as the Jean Monnet Visiting Professor Lecture; . April. . European University Institute. .
Pierson P.. 1998. . 'Not just what but when: Issues of timing and sequence in comparative politics. In: . Paper presented at the American Political Science Association meetings; . September. 1998 ; , Boston .
Kafka F.. 1957. . The Castle . , Edited by: Willa and Muir Edwin. . Harmondsworth : : Penguin. .
Orwell G.. 1984. . Heron Books . London :
Rothenberg J.. 1995. . 'Ensuring the longevity of digital documents'. . Scientific American . , Vol. 272((1)): 42––47. .
Meijer A.. 1998. . 'Heeft het openbaar bestuur in de toemkomst nog een verleden?'. . Opmbaar Bestuur, Jaargang . , Vol. 8((8)) Augustus;: 9––13. .
Meijer A.. 1998. . 'Why did you build that road just there? Consequences of the use of geographical information systems for public accountability'. In: . Paper presented to (he European Group for Public Administration conference; . August. 1998 ; , Paris .
Kickert W., Klijn E.-H. and Koppenjan J.. , eds. 1997. . Managing Complex Networks: Strategies for the Public Sector . , London : : Sage. .
Kouwenhoven V.. 1993. . “'The rise of public private partnership: a model for the management of public private cooperation'. ”. In Modem Governance: Mew Government--Society Interactions . , Edited by: Kooiman J.. p. 119––30. . London : : Sage. .
Hogwood B., Judge D. and McVicar M.. 1998. . 'Too much of a good thing? The pathology of accountability'. In: . Paper presented at the Political Studies Association annual conference; . April 7-9– 1998 ; , Keele , Staffordshire . . pp.p. 19
Zbaracki M.. 1998. . 'The rhetoric and reality of Total Quality Management'. . Administrative Science Quarterly . , Vol. 43:: 629
National Health Service Executive. . 1997. . Business Process Re-engineering in the NHS . , Winchester : : Acute Provider Centre of Information Systems. .
Packwood T., Pollitt C. and Roberts S.. 1998. . 'Good medicine? A case study of business process re-engineering in a hospital'. . Policy and Politics . , Vol. 26((4)): 401––15. .
Hammer M. and Champy J.. 1995. . Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution . , London : : Nicholas Brealey. .
Case P.. 1995. . Reengineering the End of History: A Critique of Business Process Reengineering . , (CRICT Discussion Paper No.52). p. 11p. 20UK: : Brunei University. .
Prime Minister and Minister for the Cabinet Office. . 1999. . Modernising Government . , p. 39 London : : The Stationery Office. .
OECD. . 1997. . Benchmarking, Evaluation and Strategic Management in the Public Sector . , Paris : : PUMA/OECD. .
Brunsson N.. 1989. . The Organization of Hypocrisy: Talk, Decisions and Actions in Organizations . , p. 226 New York : : John Wiley & Sons. .
Hood C. and Jackson M.. 1991. . Administrative Argument . , p. 19 Aldershot : : Dartmouth. .
Premfors R.. 1998. . 'Reshaping the democratic state: Swedish experiences in a comparative perspective'. . Public Administration . , Vol. 76((1)) Spring;: 141––59. .
Elster J.. 1983. . Sour Grapes: Studies in the Subversion of Rationality . , p. 48 Cambridge : : Cambridge University Press. .
Hood C.. 1976. . The Limits of Administration . , London : : Wiley. .
Hood C.. 1998. . The Art of the State: Culture, Rhetoric and Public Management . , Oxford : : Oxford University Press. .
Douglas M.. 1987. . Making Institutions Work . , p. 71 New York : : Basic Books. .
van der Bent J.. November. 1999 . Organisatieleren:een zoektocht naar de geheugendragers en de roi van organsiatiegeheugen in veranderingsprocessen (Organizational Learning: An Exploration of Organizational Memory and its Role in Organizational Change Processes) . , November. , Rotterdam : : Erasmus University. .
Rose R.. 1993. . Lesson-drawing in Public Polity: A Guide to Learning Across Time and Space . , Chatham , NJ : : Chatham House. .
May M. and Brunsdon E.. 1999. . “'Social services and community care'. ”. In Public Management in Britain . , Edited by: Horton S. and Farnham D.. p. 232––44. . Basingstoke : : Macmillan. .
Pollitt C. and Bouckaeit G.. 2000. . Public Management Reform: A Comparative Analysis . , Oxford : : Oxford University Press. .
Verhaak F.. “'Shifting frames of reference in Dutch autonomisation reforms'. ”. In Public Management and Administrative Reform in Western Europe . , Edited by: Kickert W.. p. 159––79. . Cheltenham , , UK: : Edward Elgar. .
Noordegraaf M.. 1999. . Attention! Work and Behavior of Public Managers Amidst Ambiguity . , p. 292 Rotterdam : : Erasmus University. .
Hall C., Scott C. and Hood C.. 1999. . Telecommunications Regulation: Culture, Chaos and Interdependence Inside the Regulatory Process . , London : : Routledge. .

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Goodin R.. , ed. 1996. . The Theory of Institutional Design . , Cambridge : : Cambridge University Press. .

[2] Olsen J. and Peters G. B.. , eds. 1996. . Lessons from Experience: Experience Learning in Administrative Reforms in Eight Democracies . , p. 4––6. . Oslo : : Scandinavian University Press. .

[3] North D.. 1990. . “Institutions. ”. In Institutional Change and Economic Performance . , Cambridge : : Cambridge University Press. .

[4] Pierson P.. 'Path dependence, increasing returns, and the study of polities'. In: . Paper presented as the Jean Monnet Visiting Professor Lecture; . April. . European University Institute. .

[5] Pierson P.. 1998. . 'Not just what but when: Issues of timing and sequence in comparative politics. In: . Paper presented at the American Political Science Association meetings; . September. 1998 ; , Boston .

[6] Kafka F.. 1957. . The Castle . , Edited by: Willa and Muir Edwin. . Harmondsworth : : Penguin. .

[7] Orwell G.. 1984. . Heron Books . London :

[8] Rothenberg J.. 1995. . 'Ensuring the longevity of digital documents'. . Scientific American . , Vol. 272((1)): 42––47. .

[9] Meijer A.. 1998. . 'Heeft het openbaar bestuur in de toemkomst nog een verleden?'. . Opmbaar Bestuur, Jaargang . , Vol. 8((8)) Augustus;: 9––13. .

[10] Meijer A.. 1998. . 'Why did you build that road just there? Consequences of the use of geographical information systems for public accountability'. In: . Paper presented to (he European Group for Public Administration conference; . August. 1998 ; , Paris .

[11] Kickert W., Klijn E.-H. and Koppenjan J.. , eds. 1997. . Managing Complex Networks: Strategies for the Public Sector . , London : : Sage. .

[12] Kouwenhoven V.. 1993. . “'The rise of public private partnership: a model for the management of public private cooperation'. ”. In Modem Governance: Mew Government--Society Interactions . , Edited by: Kooiman J.. p. 119––30. . London : : Sage. .

[13] Hogwood B., Judge D. and McVicar M.. 1998. . 'Too much of a good thing? The pathology of accountability'. In: . Paper presented at the Political Studies Association annual conference; . April 7-9– 1998 ; , Keele , Staffordshire . . pp.p. 19

[14] Zbaracki M.. 1998. . 'The rhetoric and reality of Total Quality Management'. . Administrative Science Quarterly . , Vol. 43:: 629

[15] National Health Service Executive. . 1997. . Business Process Re-engineering in the NHS . , Winchester : : Acute Provider Centre of Information Systems. .

[16] Packwood T., Pollitt C. and Roberts S.. 1998. . 'Good medicine? A case study of business process re-engineering in a hospital'. . Policy and Politics . , Vol. 26((4)): 401––15. .

[17] Hammer M. and Champy J.. 1995. . Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution . , London : : Nicholas Brealey. .

[18] Case P.. 1995. . Reengineering the End of History: A Critique of Business Process Reengineering . , (CRICT Discussion Paper No.52). p. 11p. 20UK: : Brunei University. .

[19] Prime Minister and Minister for the Cabinet Office. . 1999. . Modernising Government . , p. 39 London : : The Stationery Office. .

[20] OECD. . 1997. . Benchmarking, Evaluation and Strategic Management in the Public Sector . , Paris : : PUMA/OECD. .

[21] Brunsson N.. 1989. . The Organization of Hypocrisy: Talk, Decisions and Actions in Organizations . , p. 226 New York : : John Wiley & Sons. .

[22] Hood C. and Jackson M.. 1991. . Administrative Argument . , p. 19 Aldershot : : Dartmouth. .

[23] Premfors R.. 1998. . 'Reshaping the democratic state: Swedish experiences in a comparative perspective'. . Public Administration . , Vol. 76((1)) Spring;: 141––59. .

[24] Elster J.. 1983. . Sour Grapes: Studies in the Subversion of Rationality . , p. 48 Cambridge : : Cambridge University Press. .

[25] Hood C.. 1976. . The Limits of Administration . , London : : Wiley. .

[26] Hood C.. 1998. . The Art of the State: Culture, Rhetoric and Public Management . , Oxford : : Oxford University Press. .

[27] Douglas M.. 1987. . Making Institutions Work . , p. 71 New York : : Basic Books. .

[28] van der Bent J.. November. 1999 . Organisatieleren:een zoektocht naar de geheugendragers en de roi van organsiatiegeheugen in veranderingsprocessen (Organizational Learning: An Exploration of Organizational Memory and its Role in Organizational Change Processes) . , November. , Rotterdam : : Erasmus University. .

[29] Rose R.. 1993. . Lesson-drawing in Public Polity: A Guide to Learning Across Time and Space . , Chatham , NJ : : Chatham House. .

[30] May M. and Brunsdon E.. 1999. . “'Social services and community care'. ”. In Public Management in Britain . , Edited by: Horton S. and Farnham D.. p. 232––44. . Basingstoke : : Macmillan. .

[31] Pollitt C. and Bouckaeit G.. 2000. . Public Management Reform: A Comparative Analysis . , Oxford : : Oxford University Press. .

[35] Verhaak F.. “'Shifting frames of reference in Dutch autonomisation reforms'. ”. In Public Management and Administrative Reform in Western Europe . , Edited by: Kickert W.. p. 159––79. . Cheltenham , , UK: : Edward Elgar. .

[36] Noordegraaf M.. 1999. . Attention! Work and Behavior of Public Managers Amidst Ambiguity . , p. 292 Rotterdam : : Erasmus University. .

[37] Hall C., Scott C. and Hood C.. 1999. . Telecommunications Regulation: Culture, Chaos and Interdependence Inside the Regulatory Process . , London : : Routledge. .