Seven experiments examined phonological word-form learning (i.e., the learning of novel wordlike sound patterns) after differing types of training. In each case, learning at the end of training was assessed via stem-completion ability. Experiment 1 presented participants with 11 epochs of listening and repeating (incidental learning) and found significant stem-completion ability. The results of Experiment 2 showed greater stem-completion ability after 11 epochs of listening, repeating, and stem-completion testing (deliberate learning). Experiment 3 replicated results from Experiments 1 and 2 in a within-subject design and demonstrated that learning of both types is item-specific and not merely the result of generalized task facilitation. Experiment 4 measured stem-completion ability after 100 epochs of incidental learning and found that it remained lower than after only 11 blocks of deliberate learning in Experiments 2 and 3. Experiments 4, 5, and 6 utilized monosyllabic nonword stimuli, in contrast to the disyllabic nonword stimuli utilized in the first four experiments, and replicated results from Experiments 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Taken together, these results suggest that incidental learning does not yield full mastery of phonological word-forms.

Multiword units (MWUs) is a term used in the current study to broadly cover what second language acquisition (SLA) researchers refer to as collocations, conventional expressions, chunks, idioms, formulaic sequences, or other such terms, depending on their research perspective. They are ubiquitous in language and essential in both first language (L1) and second language (L2) acquisition. Although MWUs are typically learned implicitly while using language naturally in both of these types of acquisition, the current study is an investigation of whether they are acquired in implicit knowledge when they are learned explicitly in a process called deliberate paired association learning. In SLA research, it is widely accepted that explicit knowledge is developed consciously and implicit knowledge is developed subconsciously. It is also believed that there is little crossover from explicit learning to implicit knowledge. However, recent research has cast doubt on this assumption. In a series of priming experiments, Elgort (2007, 2011) demonstrated that the formal and semantic lexical representations of deliberately learned pseudowords were accessed fluently and integrated into the mental lexicon, convincing evidence that deliberately learned words are immediately acquired in implicit knowledge. The current study aimed to extend these findings to MWUs in a psycholinguistic experiment that tested for implicit knowledge gains resulting from deliberate learning. Participants’ response times (RTs) were measured in three ways, on two testing instruments. First, subconscious formal recognition processing was measured in a masked repetition priming lexical decision task. In the second instrument, a self-paced reading task, both formulaic sequencing and semantic association gains were measured. The experiment was a counterbalanced, within-subjects design; so all comparisons were between conditions on items. Results were analyzed in a repeated measures linear mixed-effects model with participants and items as crossed random effects. The dependent variable was RTs on target words. The primary independent variable was learning condition: half of the critical MWUs were learned and half of them were not. The secondary independent variable was MWU composition at two levels: literal and figurative. The masked priming lexical decision task results showed that priming effects increased especially for learned figurative MWUs, evidence that implicit knowledge gains were made on their formal and semantic lexical representations as a result of deliberate learning. Results of the self-paced reading task were analyzed from two perspectives, but were less conclusive with regard to the effects of deliberate learning. Regarding formulaic sequencing gains, literal MWUs showed the most evidence of acquisition, but this happened as a result of both incidental and deliberate learning. With regard to semantic associations, it was shown that deliberate learning had similar effects on both literal and figurative MWUs. However, a serendipitous finding from this aspect of the self-paced reading results showed clearly that literal MWUs reliably primed semantic associations and sentence processing more strongly than figurative MWUs did, both before and after deliberate learning. In sum, results revealed that the difficulties learners have with developing fluent processing of figurative MWUs can be lessened by deliberate learning. On the other hand, for literal MWUs incidental learning is adequate for incrementally developing representation strength. / Language Arts

Our purpose is to understand how learnings are drawn from previous experiences of cross-border acquisition integration, to later be utilized for integration of subsequent acquisitions. Elaborately, we intend to empirically study how learnings from previous endeavors are captured and built upon. Thus, there are two research questions given the sequence: learnings are first captured, then utilized. The study aims to extend current body of literature and deepening the understanding on deliberate learning through case study aspects. To answer this, we have constructed two research questions:    (1)  How can learnings be captured from previous experience in integration after cross-border acquisition?    (2)  How can learnings from previous experience of cross-border acquisition integration be utilized in subsequent deals?   The founding pillars of our literature review are perspectives on M&A and perspectives on learning. More specifically, the first perspective focuses on cross-border aspects and post-merger integration phases. Regarding the perspective on learning, our study particularly focuses on deliberate learning theory. Beyond named focus is dynamic capabilities, serial acquirers and previous experience discussed due to its connection to deliberate learning theory and our study. The literature review concludes in a theoretical tool, which summarizes the literature and is portrayed through a model.   The case study method was constructed with a qualitative and interpretive approach, which we found appropriate to reach a deeper in-depth understanding regarding the purpose and to answer our research questions. Six semi-structured interviews with managers were conducted to understand how they operated. We collected primary data by using snowball sampling and received secondary data of documentation from the studied firm. Further, this was qualitatively analyzed from a coding procedure of categories.    Our findings disclose how previous experience of post-merger integrations in cross-border acquisition is deliberately captured by our case company through learning mechanisms discussed in deliberate learning theory. The mechanisms are accordingly articulation, codification, sharing and internalizing. However, the findings disclosed a discrepancy between the literature and our empirical case due to the rotation of integration team members, which caused a disruption in sharing and internalizing of previous experience.    The contributions are both theoretical and managerial. First, the theoretical contribution is given through our revised theoretical tool, in which the findings regarding the different mechanisms are discussed and elaborated. The managerial findings provide recommendations in the assembling of an M&A integration team to preserve experience from previous endeavors and disseminate to new members.