A Context-Based Representation of Knowledge Flows in Dynamic Organizations

Abstract

Traditional companies used to be authoritarian and built around hierarchical organizational charts. Facing more dynamic environments in recent history, many companies experimented with newer forms of organization, usually cutting down long decision paths and fostering lean structures able to react to rapid changes in the marketplace. One crucial difference between both types of organizations is the way information and knowledge flow inside the structure. Based on an existing multi-level model of organizational structures, this article introduces a context-based representation of knowledge flows in dynamic organizations. It is based on an innovative organization of context along two dimensions: one horizontal and one vertical. An example scenario is provided to illustrate the proposed model.