Learning from accountability?! Whether, what, and when

Abstract

Accountability has been described as both an enabler of organizational learning and a barrier to it. This article uses case-studies, interviews, and observations of "workplace learning" in public sector organizations to advance our understanding of the relationship between accountability and organizational learning. It investigates whether public managers learn from their interactions with nongoverning boards, and, if so, what they learn about and under what conditions they learn. The analysis finds that organizational learning may thrive under the condition of multiple accountability and generally requires a combination of control and critical feedback.