PMR — pp. 1-35 2026-06-25 Original Pathways to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: The Role of Organizational Learning in Enhancing Racial Minority Leadership
Ivy Liu, Hongtao Yi
PMR — pp. 1-42 2026-04-04 Original Do projects learn across space and time? Evidence from the Olympics
Atif Ansar, Bent Flyvbjerg, Alexander Budzier
Abstract
Do projects learn across space and time? The Olympics, themselves among the largest publicly funded programmes in the world, offer a unique empirical setting. Theoretically, the Games seem ideal for generating ‘positive learning curves’, driving down costs from one iteration to the next. In practice, they do not. Drawing on the concept of ‘myopia of learning’, we argue that spatiotemporality (geographic distance, temporal gaps, and the temporary organizational form of each host committee) combines to block higher-level learning. Our analysis of cost overruns from 1960 to 2024 reveals no sustained improvement over 64 years. Tactical learning abounds, but none aggregates into strategic improvement. We propose four strategies for overcoming the spatiotemporal barrier (incremental, centralizing, decentralizing, and real options), arguing that radical reform is required.
PMR — pp. 1-27 2026-03-18 Original Beyond problemistic search: a contingency perspective on organizational response to performance feedback
Taek Kyu Kim, Weijie Wang
Abstract
Using the behavioral theory of the firm, we develop a contingency perspective of organizational search. Based on an analysis of the risk preference and learning needs of high- and low-performing organizations, we propose that low-performing, risk-tolerant organizations benefit most from searching across boundaries for new knowledge. Conversely, high-performing, risk-averse organizations benefit from internal searches to refine existing routines. We tested these propositions using a regression discontinuity design, analyzing New York City public schools’ responses to academic performance signals. Our empirical results largely support our propositions, enriching the understanding of organizations’ adoption of different search strategies in response to performance signals.