Knowledge Communication

Abstract

In the knowledge‐intensive organization, possessing knowledge is a prerequisite, but it is not sufficient. The fundamental problem is how to convey what an organizational member knows in such a way that it may be valuable to a relevant stakeholder, while alleviating personal, disciplinary, organizational, and so forth asymmetries that may stand in the way. Knowledge communication offers a prism through which to study this fundamental organizational issue. Knowledge communication is strategic communication. As strategic it is deliberately goal‐oriented, the goal being the mediation of understanding across organizational knowledge asymmetries. As communication it is participative (interactive) and the communicative positions converge on the (co)construction of (specialized) knowledge. The knowledge communication research program is problem‐driven, deriving its problem areas from organizational structures, environments, settings, climates, and forums in which agents may (or may not) be stimulated to interact with one another and/or with one or more media in order to overcome knowledge asymmetries.