Organizational unlearning occurs when organizations cast-off knowledge, beliefs, or routines. A key assumption is that the discarded information inhibits organizational performance. This view ignores the possibility that organizations may intentionally unlearn practices that are useful for some stakeholders. Using qualitative methods over eight years, we studied the processes by which a subsidiary of a French multinational company (MNC) unlearned diversity management when it was sold to a Polish state owner. This case enables us to understand the processes by which organizations unlearn, the power of the institutional environment in shaping the abandonment of diversity management, once a subsidiary changes ownership.

当组织抛弃知识、信念或惯例时，就会发生组织遗忘。一个关键假设是丢弃的信息会抑制组织绩效。这种观点忽略了组织可能故意忘记对某些利益相关者有用的实践的可能性。我们使用八年的定性方法，研究了一家法国跨国公司 (MNC) 的子公司在被出售给波兰国有企业时忘记多元化管理的过程。这个案例使我们能够了解组织忘记学习的过程，以及一旦子公司改变所有权，制度环境在形成放弃多元化管理方面的力量。