A Summative Interpretation
In Nonaka & Takeuchi’s (1995) conceptualization, the
two dimensions of knowledge creation are ontological
and epistemological. The former connotes the intra- and
inter-organizational processes mediated and crystallized
by managerial cognitions whereas the latter implies the
two states of dormant and active knowledge. The extent
of integration of the ontological and epistemological
processes holds the key to knowledge creation and
development. In the detailed analysis of the ontological
processes, the nature of managerial cognitions and organizational
processes lead us to understand the intricate
and the obvious mechanisms involved in the
knowledge creation and development.
Creation of knowledge in organization is to be interpreted
and experienced as a process that transforms the
stable managerial cognitions in relation to the organizational
learning modes and the current nature of thknowledge states. This process of knowledge creation
is to take place within an expanding “community of interaction”
(Nonaka and Takeuchi, 1995) of networked
interrelationships with organizational learning processes,
the state of knowledge, that is active and dormant,
and simple and complex managerial cognitions.
The complex interrelationships presented among the
three processes of managerial cognition, states of knowledge,
and the organizational learning modes generate
four types of organizations that differ in degrees of
knowledge (Figure 8). The organizations with the lowest
degree of knowledge are characterized as bureaucratic
or administrative organizations, where the state
of knowledge is dormant, the organizational learning
mode is negative, and the managerial cognitions are simple.
In this interactional relationship, there is no worthy
knowledge creation taking place in the organization that
concentrates on administrative matters alone. Most of
the government organizations fall in this category.
Figure 8: An Organizational Typology Based on Knowledge