Organisational Learning across Groups: the Consequences of Structural Embeddedness

In this paper, first, two types of social capital are analysed. The two types are particularly different with respect to their view on social relationships: a balanced type of relationship versus an unbalanced type. The effects of both types on organizational learning are discussed. This will lead to a view of social capital that is known in the literature as ‘the dark side of social capital’ also with respect to organisational learning. I will turn to the analysis of processes that are responsible for the development of the dark side. Especially the behaviour of third party and forms of structural embeddedness are discussed. Consequently, I develop alternative proposals that could further organisational learning. These alternatives are illustrated in a case with various types of learning groups.