This chapter discusses a framework to temper the impact of knowledge leakage and how losing the source of what gives life to the business can lead to its demise. Explicit practices should be sustained by limiting access and understood in averting loss. Explicit knowledge is expressed and categorized in work performance. In outsourced assignments, technical knowhow can be transferred accessed learnt and communicated throughout the entire organization. Viewed as technical know-how the firm can utilize it to make goods and services that are demanded by customers. Data generated from outsourcing should be analyzed to uncover data-driven pitfalls employing analytics to describe the nature of current talent, accurately forecasting staffing and material usage to leverage outsourcing of sustainable practices. Technical know-how permeates the firm in making the difference. It is pervasive in the value creation process and as such it is only prudent to prevent leakage to maintain productivity.
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In Golden (2016), the term archetype is deployed to represent fundamental human motifs of experiences. Archetypes represent fundamental human motifs of our experience as we evolved; consequentially, they evoke deep emotions and impact the way the job is done, and how customers are served, among many other outcomes associated with productivity. The archetype means original or old and typos, which imply pattern, model or type. The combined meaning is an original pattern, of which all other similar persons, objects, or concepts are derived, copied, modeled, or emulated (Golden, 2016). The psychologist, Carl Gustav Jung, used the concept of archetype in his theory of the human psyche. He believed that universal, mythic characters—archetypes—reside within the collective unconscious of people the world over (Senge et al., 1994). Understanding the archetype in business organization is critical to its success. For example, invoices bills of laden or contracts for employment possess archetypical information managers need to recognize instantaneously and be weary of any deviations from the norm.
In Senge et al. (1994), tools and methods referred to as archetypes and stock-and-flow modeling are useful in limiting knowledge leakage in large-scale human systems. An archetype is a protocol model of a desirable construct. For example, a protocol for receiving dignitaries at one’s function includes a greeting method such as: We welcome your Excellency to our fund raising event and this can be followed by escorting the visitors to their seats and so forth. An archetype can also include an acceptable way to behave. For example, all contracts should show the place where the agreement took place, be signed and dated by the parties in the agreement.
Explicit knowledge is expressed and recorded as words, numbers, or codes in organizations. It is written in job specifications, product formulations and when applied can lead to the products and services demanded by customers. It can be described too as proprietary information. It is sensitive information that is owned by an enterprise and it gives the business certain advantages. Explicit knowledge is part of proprietary information and all successful enterprise compete using what they know best. In Lave & Wenger (1991), explicit knowledge is co-constructed from the collective experience of the people who make up the organization. It is derived from situated learning, and can be acquired to augment practices in the format of technology useful in increasing performance. If this explicit practice is misappropriated a company can lose its market share. Proprietary information comes in many formats such as information contained on a computer hard drive about practices and procedures for making goods and services demanded by customers. It can also be defined as explicit practices that constitute the core business of a company. For example a foundry plant processing iron ore into steel ingots possesses job specifications, code of conduct, and many other specifications which can be contained in operation manuals on-line or hard copies. The placement of this proprietary information in the wrong hands jeopardizes the chances of the business from competing on what it knows because the competition might use the lost information to improve its own performance which debilitates the owner of the misplaced proprietary information from effective competition. Explicit knowledge can be presented visually in logos or orally in adverts on television or radio. Mimicry of proprietary information is prohibited by law.