Organizational Knowledge Creation and Management
Summary
Organizational knowledge creation and management encompass the processes by which firms generate, capture, share and apply insights to achieve strategic objectives. Central to this field is the distinction between tacit knowledge—deeply rooted in individual experiences—and explicit knowledge, which can be codified and transmitted through formal mechanisms. Frameworks such as the SECI model describe four modes of knowledge conversion: socialisation, externalisation, combination and internalisation. Effective knowledge management relies on a supportive culture, appropriate technological tools and leadership commitment to foster continuous learning. Dynamic capabilities enable organisations to sense emerging opportunities, seize new knowledge and reconfigure internal processes to maintain competitiveness in rapidly changing environments. Advances in digital platforms, social networks and artificial intelligence now facilitate real-time collaboration across geographical and functional boundaries, enhancing collective creativity and innovation. Practical applications range from lean manufacturing and service design to sustainability initiatives, underlining the global significance of robust knowledge practices in driving performance and resilience.
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Organizational Knowledge Creation and Management publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in organizational knowledge creation and management across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
SECI model: A conceptual framework describing four modes of knowledge conversion—socialisation, externalisation, combination and internalisation.
Tacit knowledge: Personal, context-specific know-how that is difficult to articulate and transfer through written or verbal means.
Explicit knowledge: Knowledge that can be codified into documents, databases and formal procedures for easy transmission.
Dynamic capabilities: Organisational abilities to integrate, build and reconfigure internal and external competences to address rapidly changing environments.
Absorptive capacity: An organisation’s capacity to recognise the value of new information, assimilate it and apply it to commercial ends.
References
- Unplanned managerial work: crucial support for knowledge creation in manufacturing SMEs. Production Planning & Control (2024).
- Innovative Behavior in Startups: An Empirical Study. Administrative Sciences (2023).
- Managing Knowledge in Organizations: A Nonaka’s SECI Model Operationalization. Frontiers in Psychology (2019).
- Enabling collaborative dynamic capabilities in strategic communities: Firm- vs. network-centric perspectives. Journal of Management & Organization (2022).
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