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| Mapping Tacit Knowledge to Responsive Organizational Dynamism |
| Tacit Knowledge |
Strategic Integration |
Cultural Assimilation
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| Cultural and Social History |
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How the IT department and other departments translate emerging technologies into their existing processes and organization.
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| Problem Solving Modes |
Individual reflective practices that assist in determining how specific technologies can be useful and how they can be applied. Utilization of tacit knowledge to evaluate probabilities for success.
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Technology opportunities may require organizational and structural changes in order to transfer tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge.
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| Orientation to risks and uncertainties |
Technology offers many risks and uncertainties. All new technologies may not be valid for the organization. Tacit knowledge is a valuable component to fully understand realities, risks, and uncertainties.
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| Problem Solving Modes |
Individual reflective practices that assist in determining how specific technologies can be useful and how they can be applied. Utilization of tacit knowledge to evaluate probabilities for success.
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Technology opportunities may require organizational and structural changes in order to transfer tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge.
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| World Views |
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Technology has global affects and changes market boundaries that cross business cultures and requires tacit knowledge to understand existing dispositions on how others work together. Review of how technology affects the dynamics of operations.
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| Organizing Principles |
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How will new technologies actually be integrated. What are the organizational challenges to "rolling out" products, and to implementation timelines? What positions are needed and who in the organization might be best qualified to fill new responsibilities. Identify limitations of the organization: that is, tacit knowledge versus explicit knowledge realities.
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| Horizons of Expectation |
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Individual limitations in the tacit domain that may hinder or support whether a technology can be strategically integrated into the organization.
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It is not my intension to suggest that all technologies should be or can be used to generate competitive advantage. To this extent, some technologies may indeed get rejected because they cannot assist the organization in terms of strategic value and competitive advantage. Indeed, as Teece (2001) states: "information transfer is not knowledge transfer and information management is not knowledge management, although the former can assist the latter. Individuals and organizations can suffer from information overload" (129). While this is a significant issue for many firms, the ability to have an organization that can select, interpret and integrate information is a very valuable part of knowledge management. Furthermore advances in IT have propelled much of the excitement surrounding knowledge management. It is important to recognize that learning organizations, reflective practices, and communities of practice all participate in creating new organizational knowledge. This is why knowledge management is so important. Knowledge must be built on its own terms-which requires intensive and laborious interactions among members of the organization.
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References
Bertels, T. and Savage, C. M. (1998) 'Tough questions on knowledge management', in G. V. Krogh, J. Roos, and D. Kleine (eds.) Knowing in Firms: Understanding, Managing and Measuring Knowledge, 7-25, London, UK: Sage Publications.
Kulkki, S. and Kosonen, M. (2001) 'How tacit knowledge explains organizational renewal and growth: the case at Nokia', in I Nonaka and D. Teece (eds.) Managing Industrial Knowledge: Creation, Transfer and Utilization, 244-269, London, UK: Sage Publications.
Nonaka, I and Takeuchi, H. (1995) The Knowledge-Creating Company: How Japanese
Companies Create the Dynamics of Innovation, New York: Oxford University Press.
Teece, D. J. (2001) 'Strategies for managing knowledge assets: the role of firm structure and industrial context', in I Nonaka and D. Teece (eds.) Managing Industrial Knowledge: Creation, Transfer and Utilization, 125-144, London, UK: Sage Publications.
Check out previous Langer Reports:
Langer Report: Operating IT As "Driver,' 'Supporter'
6 Strategies To Help 'Supporter' IT Organizations Succeed
The Langer Report: Are You A Driver, Support, or Both?
Columbia University's Dr. Arthur M. Langer is Senior Director of Technology, Innovation and Community Engagement, Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science; Associate Director, Instruction and Curricular Development, School of Continuing Education; and a faculty member in the Graduate School of Education (Teachers College) and Continuing Education. He also is a member of the CIOZone's advisory board.
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