Double-layer learning, leaders' forgetting, and knowledge performance in online work community organizations

Abstract

This paper constructs an online community organizational double-layer learning structure model based on exploration-exploitation models. In this way, the authors examine the effect how doublelayer online community learning as well as heterogeneous teams affects online work community organizational knowledge performance (OWCOKP) with leaders forgetting and without leaders forgetting. First, the results suggest an inverted-U relationship between the degree of different team member connectivity and OWCOKP. Second, as the leaders forgetting rate increases, the degree of different team member connectivity, which leads to the optimum OWCOKP also increases. Third, with or without leaders forgetting, moderate learning between members and that between the leader and members can improve OWCOKP within a team of online community. Fourth, in different teams, slow learning between leaders produces higher OWCOKP without leaders forgetting while moderate learning between leaders produces higher OWCOKP with their forgetting.