The Problem of Tacit Knowledge --Is It Possible to Externalize Tacit Knowledge?

Authors:
Ilkka Virtanen
Affiliations:
Department of Computer Sciences, University of Tampere, 33014 University of Tampere, Finland, ilkka.virtanen@cs.uta.fi
Venue:
Proceedings of the 2009 conference on Information Modelling and Knowledge Bases XX
Year:
2009

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Abstract

Various authors in the field of knowledge management have adopted the view that individuals' tacit knowledge should be externalized and shared in organizations. According to Polanyi's original theory of tacit knowing, an explicit expression of tacit knowledge is, however, considered very difficult, even impossible. We studied this contradiction by analyzing Polanyi's theory of tacit knowing in order to consider the correctness of the idea of externalization of tacit knowledge. Despite the fact that tacit knowing is an essential basis for all knowledge, we claim that tacit knowledge cannot be externalized in a way it is presented in the knowledge management literature.