In today's intricate organizational environment, crises are no longer uncommon, unforeseeable occurrences but are turning into regular obstacles that organizations need to manage. For this reason, organisational learning has gained significant attention in the crisis management literature as a key capability for companies to adapt, survive and maintain competitive advantage. Nevertheless, a question that remains unresolved in the literature is whether crises truly present a chance for learning, particularly given the cognitive constraints they pose on individuals. This thesis, therefore, investigates the role of cognitive load in affecting both individual and organizational learning during crises, an important yet overlooked topic in crisis management research. Based on Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), the study explores if cognitive load in crisis scenarios influences learning of individuals and whether to a positive or negative extent, questioning possible ways to optimise the effects of the construct on learning. Through online experimental research, the study exposed participants to a crisis scenario assigning them to different conditions, one of which experienced cognitive load, to evaluate whether a) being subjected to cognitive load affected their learning performance and b) optimising cognitive load sources by presenting different instructional information could shape the level of cognitive load, influencing learning positively. The results indicate that although cognitive load has been vastly studied to impair individual performance, it can yield positive learning outcomes if managed effectively, specifically if instructions for learning are simplified and individual mental processes for memorisation are stimulated.
Date of Award | 24 Oct 2024 |
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Original language | English |
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Awarding Institution | - Universidade Católica Portuguesa
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Supervisor | Chang-Wa Huynh (Supervisor) |
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- Crisis management
- Organisational learning
- Cognitive load
- Mestrado em Gestão e Administração de Empresas (mestrado internacional)
Navigating crisis: assessing cognitive interference theory’s role in individual and business crisis learning and possibilities for enhancement
Pogliese, M. (Student). 24 Oct 2024
Student thesis: Master's Thesis