Inquiring Organizations

Abstract

In order to manage knowledge and operate successfully in today’s information-intensive business environments, various organizational forms have emerged (e.g., Mintzberg, 1979; Nonaka, 1994; Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995). The form that an organization takes has consequences for communication and dissemination of information, and thereby the ability to engage in organizational learning. Some of these forms compress knowledge at the root level of the organization, while others facilitate the search for useful knowledge within the organization. Other forms are capable of supporting organizational members who must synthesize knowledge from diverse sources. If a firm begins to reconfirm that knowledge management and core competencies are at the heart of organizational performance, the demand on organizations to develop core competencies and to create and manage knowledge intensifies. Even after realizing the critical role of knowledge in the present competitive environments, firms are struggling with managing and creating knowledge.