Positive feedback
Positive feedback reinforces a change through a loop in which its consequences produce more change in the same direction. It can amplify growth or decline rather than stabilise performance around a target. The word positive does not mean desirable: an adverse reinforcing cycle can become damaging unless management changes its drivers. Distinguish this systems meaning from praise, and test the causal links rather than assuming that correlated movements prove a feedback loop.
Worked example
Falling service quality causes customer losses; management cuts staffing to protect short-term profit; slower service then drives further customer losses. This reinforcing decline requires action on the loop, rather than interpreting lower staffing cost as an isolated success.
Common mistake
Equating positive feedback with praise or with automatic organisational improvement.
Where it appears in your exams
| Qualification | Exam | Relationship | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACCA | APM | Supporting | September 2026–June 2027 |