Knowledge management has become a phrase which appears in a widespread way in a variety of scientific literature. It seems to be accepted widely that knowledge needs to be managed much like money needs to be. The possibility that requisite or useful knowledge may not exist, or may not be shared, or may not emerge, does not seem to be considered. Assumptions appear to be made in many articles that the knowledge is there, it just needs to be managed better.
The reasons for the importance of the facilitation of knowledge development in organisations in relation to competitiveness are outlined; reasons which are much deeper and broader than product development, or coping with change, for example.
Some theorists however, have given thought to the need to ensure that knowledge developed, and is brought out, and have proposed cognitive frameworks to guide this. They explore the nature of the organisational facilitation mechanisms which need to exist, so that knowledge may move from tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge Polanyi (1966); and from personal (unshared) knowledge to shared knowledge within the organisation. The 'collaborative imperative' Hurley (1991) of the group processes associated with knowledge work, and the links with flatter hierarchies, is developed.
A number of these cognitive frameworks are outlined in this presentation, and the significant role of certain aspects of Organisational Psychology in these, is discussed.