title: Phase transitions between lower and higher level management learning in times of crisis: an experimental study based on synergetics.
abstract: Much has been written about the differences between single- and double-loop learning, or more general between lower level and higher level learning. Especially in times of a fundamental crisis, a transition between lower and higher level learning would be an appropriate reaction to a challenge coming entirely out of the dark. However, so far there is no quantitative method to monitor such a transition. Therefore we introduce theory and methods of synergetics and present results from an experimental study based on the simulation of a crisis within a business simulation game. Hypothesized critical fluctuations - as a marker for so-called phase transitions - have been assessed with permutation entropy. Results show evidence for a phase transition during the crisis, which can be interpreted as a transition between lower and higher level learning.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liening
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Strunk
authors.forename: Ewald
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mittelstadt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003132:Commerce; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult