The Concept of Ba, Design of Ba for Successful Knowledge Management - Literature review Example

The Concept of Ba Name Institution Date Introduction Ba is knowledge management concept. This essay aims at discussing Ba in relation to knowledge creation. Specifically, the essay will define, give a history, describe the various type of Ba, and discuss how Ba is acquired, retained as well as communicated. The essay will also identify different forms of Ba that are inherently unimaginable and provide various working examples about how Ba applies in an organization as well as personality. Nonaka describes Ba as a space which is shared for relationships that are emerging whereby there is knowledge creation, sharing as well as utilization (Bohm, 1996). The space can be said to be physical, virtual, mental or a combination of all of them. Ba is a concept that gives a platform for individual as well as collective knowledge advancement. New knowledge is usually created from one which is in existence by changing meanings as well as contexts (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995). The history of Ba reveals that originally, Kitaro Nishinda who was a Japanese philosopher did propose the concept of Ba (Nishinda, 1990). The concept of Ba was then advanced later by Shimizu (Shimizu, 1995). Nonaka Ikujiro adapted the concept of Ba to elaborate on the SECI model of knowledge creation. The four different types of Ba propose by Nonaka usually match with the four stages that make the SECI model. Each type of Ba usually describes a Ba that is suitable to the four modes of knowledge conversation. The different Ba’s provide a podium for particular steps within the process of knowledge spiral. Each type of Ba is said to support a specific process of conversion. Therefore, each type of Ba is seen to speed up the knowledge creation process. The four types of Ba include; the originating Ba, interacting Ba, Cyber Ba and exercising Ba. Nonaka & Konno (1998) describes the originating Ba as the world where individuals usually share their feelings, experience, mental model as well as emotions. In this type of Ba, an individual usually sympathizes with others so as to remove the barriers that may exist between the self as well as others. It is considered as the primary Ba within which the process of creating knowledge starts in the SECI model. It also represents the phase of socialization. In this Ba, conversation as well as transfer of tacit knowledge is usually done physically as well as face to face. According to Nonaka, physical contact in this Ba is essential for the facilitation of knowledge creation by way of socialization. The interacting Ba is usually constructed for an intended purpose as compared to originating Ba. It involves a selection of people having the right mix of particular knowledge as well as abilities to make a project team. Dialogue is used as a tool for converting mental models of persons as well as their skills into terms and concepts that are common. Nonaka & Toyama (2002) denote that the interacting Ba utilizes two processes whereby individuals are found sharing the mental model of other people and also reflecting as well as analyzing their own mental models. In the interacting Ba, tacit knowledge is usually made explicit hence representing the externalization process. As explained earlier, interacting Ba uses dialogue as the main method of conversing. Metaphors are also used extensively in the dialogue as major skills for the conversations. In this type of Ba, making meaning is very sensitive is essential as well as the will of making recognition of tacit knowledge explicitly. At this point, interacting Ba is usually institutionalized in the culture of the organization for collective reflection. Essentially, in interacting Ba, initiators are usually challenged to take the initiative of pursuing their own ideas. In fact, it is said to be a place where people make of dialogue to jointly engage to make meaning as well as value for their ideas (Nonaka & Konno, 1998). Cyber Ba is another type of Ba whereby people or communities interact in a virtual world. There is no real space as well as time. This Ba is said to be the combination phase of the SECI model. A combination of explicit knowledge that is new together with information as well as knowledge that exists is done for the purpose of generating and systematizes the explicit knowledge all through the organization. Koh & Kim (2004) describe that combining explicit knowledge in this Ba is highly supported through the presence of environments that are collaborative with the utilization of information technology. According to Nonaka & Takeuchi (1995), the conversation process in the Cyber Ba has been enhanced through the availability and use of groupware, database, documentation as well as online networks. The fourth type of Ba is the exercising Ba which supports the phase of internalization. In this Ba, the facilitation of the tacit as well as explicit knowledge is done through focused training. Here, continuous exercises are carried out by senior managers as well as colleagues based on specific patterns together with working out of those patterns. Leaning is usually done through self refinements whereby workers undergo job training or participate actively instead of teaching on the basis of analysis. Therefore, in the exercising Ba, continuous enhancement of knowledge internalization is emphasized using explicit knowledge in applications that are simulated or real life. In the SECI model, the exercising Ba corresponds to internalization. Ba is usually acquired through a person’s own experience and reflections on those experiences and those of others. One acquires Ba through interaction with others, working groups, temporary meetings, e-mail groups, project teams and information circles as well as contact with customers. Ichijo & Nonaka (2007) argue that for Ba to be acquire, three different dimensions must evolve including the physical space like the meeting room, the relational space like the interaction patterns, emotions as well as thought, and the tacit place which is spiritual like the source of creativity for a person, energy as well as purpose. According to Lechner & Dowling (2003), Ba can also be acquired by changing the way people interact in an organization as well as with the outside environment. This allows them to capture the Ba that is emerging naturally as well as effectively form the Ba. Ba is usually retained through building as well as utilizing the knowledge within as well as across organizations. In this case, organizational leaders have a task to play in ensuring that the knowledge acquired is retained among workers. This ensures that emergence of high quality knowledge is attained. Nonaka, Toyama, & Hirata (2008) denote that through synthesizing of knowledge assets in and outside the company, it is possible for persons to retain Ba in how they relate with others including partners as well as suppliers. Ba is communicated using the media as well as network. Media and network serves the purpose of providing persons with platform to interact. Physical space like meeting rooms allows people to interact and share knowledge. Cyberspace like availability of computer network enables a large number of people to network, interact and share gained Ba. Nomura (2002) says that being a foundation of creating knowledge, cyber space can allow members of an organization communicate essential information to one another for achieving the organizational goals. There are various forms of Ba that are inherently unmanageable. The conjoined Ba known as Basho is unmanageable since it involves many Ba’s coming together. The Ba for the individuals within a team, the Ba of the teams, the Ba for the organization, and the Ba for the Ba of the organization form the Basho which is not manageable as one. Choo and Neto (2010) says that, such form of Ba needs to be broken down to the various Ba’s for each to be managed individually. Ba applies in organizations through the way the management provides a platform for people to create intentional Ba. This Ba is usually created for a particular purpose and to achieve intended objective. For example, this was evident in the 21st Century when groups of people came up to discuss about the car they want for the 21st century. In 1993, a task force known as G21for the Pius Project was formed to back the top management to talk about the 21st Century car (Nonaka, Toyama & Scharmer, 2001). Ba also applies to personality when leaders are selecting the right mix of people to take part in an interaction. Here, the specified Ba must meet the criteria set by the leaders. Participants are selected from particular backgrounds and different viewpoints so as to bring their experiences as well a context into the Ba. This makes a context that is shared to make a rich Ba. Conclusion Ba is a concept of knowledge that values space in the creation of knowledge. It was developed by Kitaro. Nonaka uses Ba to explain his SECI model of knowledge creation. Ba occurs in four types including; the originating Ba, interacting, cyber and exercising ba. As discussed in the essay, there are different ways of acquiring, retaining and communicating Ba. However, Basho is a form of Ba that is inherently unmanageable. In an organization, Ba can be applied in building intentional knowledge. It is also applicable in personality whereby specific people with particular characteristics are selected for a group. References Ichijo, K., & Nonaka, I. (2007) Knowledge creation and management. New challenges for managers. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Choo, C., & Neto, R. (2010). Beyond the ba: managing enabling contexts in knowledge organizations, Journal of Knowledge Management, 14(4):592-610. Koh, J. & Kim, Y. (2004). Knowledge sharing in virtual communities: an e-business perspective. Expert Systems with Applications, 26:155-66 Lechner, C. and Dowling, M. (2003).Firm networks: external relationships as sources for the growth and competitiveness of entrepreneurial firms. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 15:1-26. Nishida, K. (1990). An inquiry into the Good, translated by M.abe and C.ives (new Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1990); K. Nishida, "Fundamental Problems of Philosophy:The world of Action and the Dialectical World" (Tokyo: Sophia University, 1970) Nomura, T. (2002), Design of ‘ba’ for successful knowledge management – how enterprises should design the places of interaction to gain competitive advantage, Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 25:263-78 Nonaka, I., & Takeuchi, H. (1995). The knowledge-creating company. New Yrok: Oxford University Press. Nonaka, I., Toyama, R., Hirata, T. (2008) Managing flow. A process theory of the knowledge-based firm. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Nonaka, I., & Konno, N. (1998). The concept of "Ba’: Building foundation for Knowledge Creation. California Management Review, 40(3):40-54. Spring. Nonaka, I., Toyama, R., & Scharmer, O. (2001). Building Ba to Enhance Knowledge Creation and Innovation at Large Firms. Dialogue on Leadership. Nonaka, I. & Toyama, R. (2002). A firm as a dialectical being: towards a dynamic theory of a firm’’, Industrial and Corporate Change, 11(5):995-1009. Shimizu, H. (1995). Ba-Principle: New Logic for the Real-time Emergence of Information. Holonics, 5(1):67-69. Read More