Although the two types of knowledge contrast each
other, they are not mere opposites, but rather lie on a continuum.
When an individuals tacit knowledge is shared with
another person it becomes explicit knowledge, and when
this is merged with other explicit knowledge it becomes
new explicit knowledge, which in turn can then be converted
into the tacit knowledge of an(other or the same)
individual and thus link with the subsequent conversion process.
Innovation emerges from the spiraling continuity of
this conversion process. The same holds true for the
relationship between exploration and exploitation. They,
too, lie on a continuum and interact in a spiraling
continuity. This means that the concept of exploration
and exploitation—and thus also the concept of ambidextrous
organizations—can be easily and straightforwardly explained
by the knowledge-creation theory. As a matter of fact,
these concepts are actually already submitted in knowledge
creation theory and thus part of it.