Transforming Tacit Knowledge into Explicit Knowledge for Delivering Business Goals

Abstract

Knowledge as a resource provides a competitive edge to firms and ensures organizational success. This conceptual paper endeavors to study the importance of knowledge management in organizations; highlighting the need for capturing tacit as well as explicit knowledge. The paper underlines the significance of vast storehouse of covert knowledge possessed by knowledge workers; gained through their own learning based on observation and experience. Based on extant knowledge management literature, the paper postulates different mechanisms to codify and convert the tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge. It also elaborates the enablers and the barriers in the way of conversion of tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge. The study suggests that conversion of tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge can be ensured by enhancing the knowledge management orientation of the firm. The study will help the practicing managers in capturing the tacit as well the explicit knowledge for delivering business goals like sustainable competitive advantage and superior business performance.