Knowledge Convergence through “Ma Thinking”

Abstract

This paper suggests that Ma enable the coexistence of dissimilars and that the formation of Ma is an important factor in bringing about the knowledge convergence process to integrate dissimilar knowledge in organizations and companies. The paper presents four concepts of Ma: the first is the temporal Ma of experience (Ma of time); the second is spatial Ma, which raises the quality of dialogue (Ma of space); the third is the psychological Ma that ties together knowledge from different areas of specialization (mental Ma); and the fourth is situational Ma that ties together different contexts (Ma of context).The commonality in these four concepts of Ma is the existence of relationships that ties together different contexts and knowledge (in other words boundaries) in dynamically changing space‐time. However, rather than referring to relationships that have specific meaning, Ma describe holistic relationships that allow a diversity of meanings in dynamically changing flows. The paper argues that Ma, as dynamically changing holistic relationships, have their roots in the Eastern philosophies of Japanese Shintoism and Buddhism and discusses relationship among Ma, Ba, and strategic communities. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.