A Comparative Analysis of Knowledge Management Practices in Times of Crisis in the Digital Age: Evidence from an Emerging Economy

Knowledge

Although knowledge is in a very close relationship with data and information, it is neither data, nor information. Data is a function of a source in communication process and generally created as a message and sent through communication channel. In order to that, information emerges as a function of communication channel. When information is arrived in as a message to one or more receivers, it may be perceived differently by each receiver. According to that, evaluation process and knowledge that attained may vary (Ayyıldız, 1998). Also, one’s knowledge can be other’s information; if one cannot understand and use the information, it stays as only information. On the other hand, other person can understand the same information, interpret with previous experiences and practice it in decision making or in redefinition of a laboratory process (Lee and Yang, 2000).

O’Dell et al. (1998) define knowledge as a dynamic phenomenon that is occurred in an organization as a result of the interaction and behaviors of the employees - basically, a mobilized form of information. Within this view knowledge can be defined as: information that is formed of experiences, intuition, ideas and personnel values (Clarke and Rollo, 2001). Knowledge occurs when the information is used. As an example; if the information helps to reduce costs, development of product and process performance or new market growth, then knowledge arises. Hence, knowledge is used for a specific position of an organization can be seen an upper form of information (Beckett et. al., 2000). As a result, knowledge transforms data and information into manageable courses. In other words, knowledge is characterized by information, talent and attitude. It is a set of factors such as experience, talent, culture, character, personality and emotions etc. (Beijerse, 2000). As Baker’s (1997) formulation;