The PKK in the Context of Terrorist Organizations and Learning Organizations

Abstract

An organization failing to learn could not adapt successfully to the environment and be effective. Terrorist organizations need to change their behaviors, because they operate in a fast changing, threatening and competitive environment. The terrorist organization, whose members are aware of circumstances that threaten the survival of the organization or give new opportunities, must adapt and improve by changing its organizational structure, functions, discourses and actions. This process is an indication of learning. The aim of this article is to analyze the learning capabilities of the PKK. The article falls into three sections. The first section discusses the concept and reasoning of learning, learning organization and organizational learning. The second section attempts to develop a model to investigate the learning capabilities of terrorist organizations. The last section elaborates upon the PKK’s learning capabilities.

Keywords

Learning Organization, Terrorism, PKK

Citation

Demir, Cenker Korhan, “The PKK in the Context of Terrorist Organizations and Learning Organizations”, International Relations, Volume 5, Issue 19 (Fall 2008), pp. 57-88.

Affiliations

• Cenker Korhan Demir, PhD Candidate, Army War College