Chris Argyris

In 1951 received his PhD from Cornell University,[5] with a thesis under the supervision of William F. Whyte on organizational behavior.

[7] Argyris died on November 16, 2013, age 90, and is buried at Linwood Cemetery in Weston, Massachusetts.

[8] Argyris' early research explored the impact of formal organizational structures, control systems and management on individuals and how they responded and adapted to them.

Argyris believed that managers who treat people positively and as responsible adults will achieve productivity.

Human actions are designed to achieve intended consequences and governed by a set of environment variables.

When actions are designed to achieve the intended consequences and to suppress conflict about the governing variables, a single-loop learning cycle usually ensues.

On the other hand, when actions are taken, not only to achieve the intended consequences, but also to openly inquire about conflict and to possibly transform the governing variables, both single-loop and double-loop learning cycles usually ensue.