Role of Management in Adopting SECI Model as a Basis for Knowledge Transfer - Essay Example

Nonaka and Takeuchi’s (1995) SECI Model of Knowledge Conversion within Organizations Has Received Great Attention Amongst Knowledge Management Practitioners and Academics. Nonetheless, Some Reviews Are Critical Of The SECI Model. a) Based on these Arguments Critique the Utility of the SECI Model In 1995, Nonaka and Takeuchi created a comprehensive model for management of knowledge and it consists of four diverse status or patterns. Each of the patterns is interconnected with each other through conversion procedures. Creation of knowledge takes place via continuous interaction of the explicit and tacit knowledge. The SECI model has four different interaction patterns between the tacit and explicit knowledge (Stary 2007, p141). The SECI model, cycle, process, or spiral is very significant in the knowledge creation process. The knowledge is expanded through the movement within the four models of conversion (Stary 2007, p141). The theory of organizational knowledge creation was developed by Nonaka and Takeuchi and it originated from the studies of information creation in companies that were innovative. The theory appears to have undertaken two stages of development. In the initial stages, two dimensions of the theory of knowledge creation were proposed (Gourlay 2004, p1). The first dimension also known as epistemological dimension is the place of interaction between the explicit and tacit knowledge. In this dimension, there is conversion of knowledge from one type to the other and thus, new knowledge is created (Remenyi 2003, p377). The SECI model has the following components; socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization (Stary 2007, p142). The four models of knowledge created were socialization (tacit to tacit), externalization (tacit to explicit), combination (explicit to explicit), and internalization (explicit to tacit). After the internalization, the process goes to a new level and thus the representation with the word spiral of knowledge creation; the process is often described as the SECI model. The conversion of knowledge is a social process and its effect on the first dimension tends to be individual since the second dimension also known as ontological dimension portrays the passage from the individual to the inert-organizational knowledge through the organizational and group levels. The process amplifies the individual knowledge and crystallizes a section of the organizational knowledge network. This is described as the process of creating organizational knowledge; it is also referred to as spiral (Remenyi 2003, p378). Socialization It is the process of sharing the tacit knowledge through the shared experiences. In socialization there is sharing of experiences and thus, there is creation of tacit knowledge such as shared technical skills and mental models. The creating and sharing of tacit knowledge is through direct experience (Stary 2007, p142). Communication tends to be between the intra-project team in an environment where the transfer of knowledge abilities is low. The communication is limited between the project teams because of the strong focus on accomplishing the project goals over the portfolio goals and the highly competitive culture. Such projects usually last for about six months and this means that the knowledge transfer is slow, because the opportunity to do work with a variety of personnel only occurs around two times in a year (Cranfield, Leslie and Wickes 2003, p6). Externalization It is the process of expressing the tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge. There is articulation of tacit knowledge into explicit notions through reflection and dialogue. It often takes place in forms such as analogies, hypotheses, metaphors, models, and concepts (Stary 2007, p142). In such a case, the knowledge becomes accessible and crystallized to all. An example of the programme management is the documentation of project performance. Externalization is limited and the report process is usually closed in scenarios where the consideration for knowledge transfer is limited, that is, there is restricted distribution. The report format is hugely text biased and limits the access because of the time required for the study of the document (Cranfield, Leslie and Wickes 2003, p6). Combination It is the process of changing the explicit knowledge into a more systematic and complicated collection of explicit knowledge. An example is the aggregation of the project report to create a programme report or the accumulation of the programme reports into a portfolio perception. The access to these reports is restricted to the senior personnel; the opportunity for the staff to get appreciation of the portfolio and programme level issues is limited (Cranfield, Leslie and Wickes 2003, p6). There is application and systematization of information and explicit by combination of different entities of explicit knowledge. There is reconfiguration of the existing materials through adding, sorting, combination and categorization of explicit knowledge and thus it can lead to creation of new knowledge (Stary 2007, p142). Combination has three to four types of activities; the use of language to create synthesis, unspecified computer functioning aspects, and the embodiment of the knowledge into goods that is material (Gourlay 2004, p6). Internalization It is the process of embodiment of the tacit knowledge and the explicit knowledge. This happens when there is practice of explicit knowledge or in a particular context from the individual’s experience or history (Cranfield, Leslie and Wickes 2003, p6). There is embodiment of explicit knowledge into tacit knowledge. There is acquisition and learning of the new tacit knowledge and it is put into practice (Stary 2007, p142). The explicit knowledge is made into tacit knowledge if the knowledge is diagrammed or verbalized into manuals, oral stories or documents. The documentation assists in the internalization of experiences by the individuals and thus it enriches their tacit knowledge (Stary 2007, p142). In an environment where transfer of knowledge is low, there is limitation of what the individual can internalize though there is richness of experience (Cranfield, Leslie and Wickes 2003, p6). The knowledge is amplified and goes to the higher level in the spiral knowledge. The spiral is then amplified as it goes up to the ontological level, that is, from the individual to the group and lastly to the organization. Each of the mode in the SECI process entails a variety of combination of knowledge-creation bodies as shown; (a) in socialization, there is combination from the individual to another individual, (b) in externalization, there is combination from the individual to the group, (c) in combination, there is combination of the group to the organization, and (d) in internalization, there is combination of the organization to the individual (Stary 2007, p142). b) With Reflection on (a) Describe the Role of Management in Adopting the SECI Model as a Basis For Knowledge Transfer Implementing SECI in Multi-Organizational Projects The SECI model narrows down the presentation of the forms of processes that are required for the effective implementation of the organizational learning, that is, in terms of the processes (Externalization, socialization, internalization, and combination) and the relational and social context that are necessary for the facilitation of the knowledge exchange (Dialoguing Ba, Originating Ba, Exercising Ba, and Systematizing Ba). The absence and the presence of these processes and their context may be viewed as the probable barriers or antecedents to the effective development of the knowledge within the organization. The application of the SECI model to the challenges faced by the multi-organizational project may provide main imperatives for the managers to consider (Rice and Rice n.d., p676). Socialization and Originating Ba Rice and Rice (n.d., p676) noted the significance of the deep ties within the multi-organizational projects. In regard to the socialization processes that are involved in tacit knowledge sharing through the shared experiences, there is a significant role in the breaking of the inter-organizational obstacles that occur due to culture, language, proximity or different types of barriers. The emergence of technology has facilitated better methods for remote communication; the provision of the technology or the utilization of the attendance based meeting is at most times viewed as an expense that can be avoided. The SECI model offers a challenge to this notion and argues that face-to-face meeting is important because it establishes the basic sharing of the tacit knowledge; the primary foundation of the SECI process (Rice and Rice n.d., p676). The idea of Originating Ba offers the significance of the presence in the transfer of knowledge. It puts more emphasis on the requirement to communicate more rather than the technical and specific; the focus is on the establishment of communication norms, exchange of emotions, and the development of shared mental experiences and models. In multi-organizations, it requires the development of strong personal relationship within the organizational boundary (Rice and Rice n.d., p677). Externalization and Dialoguing Ba The process of externalization entails the change of the tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge that is documented. The greatest challenge for the multi-organization is in this context, this is because tacit knowledge is viewed as the culturally and contextually embedded and constrained within the small groups and individuals. In the context of a multi-organization project, the utilization of creative compilation and reporting systems are very significant. The utilization of the knowledge graphical representations offers a challenge to the authors to avoid things such as jargon and hyperbole (Rice and Rice n.d., p677). Non-verbal communication processes and open compilation systems use permits the development of shared understandings and not just the cutting and pasting of the textual contributions form a number of contributors. It is imperative to understand the use of presence whether virtual or real in this context is very important. The developed explicit knowledge is supposed to reflect strongly the best practices within the association group, and it should show the shared ownership and it is supposed to be understood very easily outside the pretext of organizational, cultural and linguistic context (Rice and Rice n.d., p677). Dialoguing Ba is the innovative creation of systems for the facilitation of the transfer of the newly characterized knowledge into a form that can be useful to the groups. It also goes beyond the developers of the knowledge and via the groups, the organization that is involved in the multi-organizational endeavours or projects (Rice and Rice n.d., p677). Combination and Systematizing Ba Based on the SECI model, combination entails the accumulation of the complex explicit knowledge into valuable and usable whole. The accumulated knowledge is viewed as the source of value development. In regard to the multi-organizational projects, the main challenge is to create value in a way that the combined knowledge takes into consideration for all the organizations participating and thus, it becomes a resource shared for all the participating entities. The compilation and capture of the knowledge is supposed to be horizontally and vertically integrated and open process. The combined knowledge is supposed to be a reflection of the most creative and the best knowledge in the association, and it is supposed to be a reflection of the best found practice and knowledge that are known to the group participating (Rice and Rice n.d., p677). The creation of the context for the Systematizing Ba gives emphasis to the collaborative efforts in the sharing and development of the newly accumulated learning within the organizational setting. The phase makes use of the information technology in the facilitation of the asynchronous learning in the various groups’ and constituencies ‘contribution in the creation of the organizational knowledge asset (Rice and Rice n.d., p677). Internalization and Exercising Ba The explicit knowledge developed in the multi-organizational projects is capable of becoming a valuable internal tacit knowledge or the creative organizational routine. The aggregation of the knowledge resources becomes useful based on its own rights, the font for furthering the process, and innovation of the projects. The sharing of the transfer knowledge can help in the facilitation of the socialization processes in the future projects (Rice and Rice n.d., p678). Exercising Ba puts focus on the internalization and transfer of the shared organizational knowledge to the individual workers routine and knowledge. This phase is made efficient by utilizing team building in the creation of a level of personal commitment to the shared goals and the mentoring by the managers and colleagues. In the context of multi-organization, the utilization of the shared teams and the creation of the new shared systems and routines are very useful steps to take (Rice and Rice n.d., p678). Bibliography Antal, A. B., Child, J., Dierkes, M. & Nonaka, I. (2003) Handbook of organizational learning and knowledge. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Buono, A. F. & Poulfelt, F. (2005) Challenges and issues in knowledge management. IAP. Cooper, C. L. & Finklestein, S. (2008) Advances in mergers and acquisitions, volume 7. Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing. Cranfield, F. L., Leslie, A. & Wickes, M. (2003) A perspective of Nonaka’s SECI model from programme management: Combining management information, performance measurement and information design, pp1-18. Feher, P. 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