Firms as knowledge brokers: lessons in pursuing continuous innovation

Article Abstract:

A set of firms exists whose output consists solely of innovative solutions to novel problems, and whose long-term success depends on their ability to continuously innovate. These firms act as knowledge brokers, spanning multiple industries to innovate by transferring knowledge from where it is known to where it is not. They are often consultants to clients in a range of markets, but are also groups within a large organization that serve a range of otherwise independent divisions. Rather than producing breakthroughs in any one technology or dominating any one industry, knowledge brokers rely on an alternative but equally powerful strategy that lends itself to continuous innovation. These firms create new products and processes by combining existing technologies in ways that result in dramatic synergy. This article presents a theory of innovation through knowledge brokering that explains the actions and advantages of such firms, and it considers the lessons these firms can offer to others seeking to innovate. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Services, Business consultants, Management consultants

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The state of the notion: knowledge management in practice

Article Abstract:

To a growing number of companies, knowledge management is more than just a buzzword or a sales pitch, it is an approach to adding or creating value by more actively leveraging the know-how, experience, and judgement resident within and, in many cases, outside of an organization. Based primarily upon the results of a study of 431 U.S. and European organizations, this article describes what firms are actually doing to manage knowledge, what else they think they could be or should be doing, and what they feel are the greatest barriers they face in their efforts. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

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Care in knowledge creation

Article Abstract:

Knowledge creation is the key source of innovation in any company. However, it is a fragile process fraught with uncertainty and conflict of interest. The effective creation of new knowledge (especially tacit social knowledge) hingers on strong caring among organization members. Managers have several means to facilitate caring relations, including new incentive systems, mentoring programs, care as an articulated value, project debriefings, and training programs in care-based behavior. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Methods, Human resource management, Organizational behavior

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