Do we really understand tacit knowledge

摘要: This paper advances the claim that tacit knowledge has been greatly misunderstood in management studies. Nonaka and Takeuchi’s widely adopted interpretation of as awaiting “translation” or “conversion” into explicit is erroneous: contrary to Polanyi’s argument, it ignores essential ineffability knowledge. In I show why idea focussing on a set tacitly known particulars “converting” them unsustainable. However, does not mean we cannot discuss skilled performances which are involved. We can provided stop insisting and, instead, start recursively drawing our attention how draw each other’s things. Instructive forms talk help us re-orientate ourselves relate others world around us, thus enabling act differently. Following Wittgenstein Shotter, argue command clearer view if “re-mind” do things, so distinctions, had previously noticed, features, escaped attention, may be brought forward. operationalise but find new ways talking, fresh interacting novel distinguishing connecting. Tacit “captured”, “translated”, “converted” only displayed manifested, what do. New comes about when becomes explicit, performance punctuated through social interaction. Presented Knowledge Economy Society Seminar, LSE Department Information Systems, 14 June 2002