Knowledge Acquisition and Management: Perspectives, Strategic Implications and Extensions to the Virtual Setting

Abstract

This chapter provides an integrative review and synthesis of the knowledge acquisition and management literature. As a starting point, the role of the individual in organizational learning processes is discussed and reconciled. This issue is extended and discussed for the virtual setting. In following sections, the author derives three major theoretical principles from the literature synthesis. These include the knowledge types, knowledge acquisition processes, and organizational memory. Again, each of these principles are extended to the virtual setting. Based on the integration of these principles, a number of conceptual refinements are offered and important strategic implications elaborated. Subsequently, the strategic implications are contrasted and developed for the virtual setting. Communication constraints inherent to the virtual organization bring a unique and likely problematic set of issues with regard to the development and management of organizational knowledge.