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Institute for Regenerative Systems Architecture^™IRSA^™Catalysing systems designed for renewal

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Catalysing systems designed for renewal.

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Why Institutions Forget

Turnover-Induced Amnesia

Definition

Knowledge loss caused by staff departure when knowledge is held in individuals rather than systems. High turnover creates chronic amnesia; even moderate turnover causes significant loss of tacit knowledge.

Example

The engineer who understood why a system was designed a certain way retires. No documentation captured her knowledge. The organisation has forgotten the design rationale—they have the system but not the understanding.

Source

IF Section 4

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Related Terms from Why Institutions Forget

Institutional Forgetting

Knowledge Decay Rate

Memory Maintenance Cost

Reorganisation Amnesia

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