A New Model for the Organizational Knowledge Life Cycle

TL;DR

This paper proposes a graph theory-based model for managing the knowledge life cycle in organizations, emphasizing the role of central actors in fostering knowledge externalization, preservation, and innovation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel framework linking social network analysis to knowledge management, highlighting the importance of central actors in collaboration ties.

Findings

Involving actors with high betweenness centrality enhances knowledge externalization.

The model supports knowledge preservation and innovation in dynamic organizational environments.

Graph theory provides effective conditions for organizational knowledge management.

Abstract

Actual organizations, in particular the ones which operate in evolving and distributed environments, need advanced frameworks for the management of the knowledge life cycle. These systems have to be based on the social relations which constitute the pattern of collaboration ties of the organization. We demonstrate here, with the aid of a model taken from the theory of graphs, that it is possible to provide the conditions for an effective knowledge management. A right way could be to involve the actors with the highest betweeness centrality in the generation of discussion groups. This solution allows the externalization of tacit knowledge, the preservation of knowledge and the raise of innovation processes.