Leadership in Organizational Knowledge Creation: a Review and Framework
Journal of Management Studies ••:•• 2011 doi: 10.1111/j.1467-6486.2010.00978.x
Leadership in Organizational Knowledge Creation: A Review and Framework joms_978 1..38
Georg von Krogh, Ikujiro Nonaka and Lise Rechsteiner
ETH Zurich; Hitotsubashi University; ETH Zurich abstract Organizational knowledge creation integrates context, knowledge assets, and knowledge creation processes throughout the organization. Using organizational knowledge creation theory as an organizing framework, we conduct a literature review that shows prior work has focused on the role of central, upper-echelon, leadership in knowledge creation processes, without devoting much attention to context and knowledge assets. To remedy these weaknesses, we develop a new framework for situational leadership in organizational knowledge creation. The framework is based on a continuum that ranges from centralized to distributed leadership at three layers of activity: a core layer of local knowledge creation; a conditional layer that provides the resources and context for knowledge creation; and a structural layer that forms the overall frame and direction for knowledge creation in the organization. We discuss the implications of this framework for theory and practice.
INTRODUCTION Over the past 20 years, the study of knowledge creation in organizations has emerged as a body of theoretical and empirical work (e.g. Becerra-Fernandez and Sabherwal, 2001; Chou and He, 2004; Nonaka, 1994; Nonaka and Konno, 1998; Nonaka et al., 1994). Several theoretical and empirical contributions have concluded that leadership plays a significant role in knowledge processes, such as sharing, creation, and capture (e.g. Bryant, 2003; Lakshman, 2005, 2007; Politis, 2001, 2002; Srivastava et al., 2006; Zárraga and Bonache, 2003), and the successful implementation of knowledge management efforts (e.g. Chourides et al., 2003; Kulkarni et al., 2006; Liebowitz, 1999). Yet, leadership is often mentioned in passing as an
Leadership in Organizational Knowledge Creation: A Review and Framework joms_978 1..38
Georg von Krogh, Ikujiro Nonaka and Lise Rechsteiner
ETH Zurich; Hitotsubashi University; ETH Zurich abstract Organizational knowledge creation integrates context, knowledge assets, and knowledge creation processes throughout the organization. Using organizational knowledge creation theory as an organizing framework, we conduct a literature review that shows prior work has focused on the role of central, upper-echelon, leadership in knowledge creation processes, without devoting much attention to context and knowledge assets. To remedy these weaknesses, we develop a new framework for situational leadership in organizational knowledge creation. The framework is based on a continuum that ranges from centralized to distributed leadership at three layers of activity: a core layer of local knowledge creation; a conditional layer that provides the resources and context for knowledge creation; and a structural layer that forms the overall frame and direction for knowledge creation in the organization. We discuss the implications of this framework for theory and practice.
INTRODUCTION Over the past 20 years, the study of knowledge creation in organizations has emerged as a body of theoretical and empirical work (e.g. Becerra-Fernandez and Sabherwal, 2001; Chou and He, 2004; Nonaka, 1994; Nonaka and Konno, 1998; Nonaka et al., 1994). Several theoretical and empirical contributions have concluded that leadership plays a significant role in knowledge processes, such as sharing, creation, and capture (e.g. Bryant, 2003; Lakshman, 2005, 2007; Politis, 2001, 2002; Srivastava et al., 2006; Zárraga and Bonache, 2003), and the successful implementation of knowledge management efforts (e.g. Chourides et al., 2003; Kulkarni et al., 2006; Liebowitz, 1999). Yet, leadership is often mentioned in passing as an
Citations: Anantatmula (2007, 2008) Bell DeTienne et al. (2004) S, E, C, I E, C Bollinger and Smith (2001) Bontis and Fitz-enz (2002) Bryant (2003) Chen and Barnes (2006) Chourides et al. (2003) S, E, C, I S, E, (C, I) S, E, C, I S, E, C, I S, E, C, I Technology/IT infrastructure Organizational culture: cooperative involvement, trust and incentives Culture of loyalty and trust; knowledge infrastructure n/a KM/IT systems n/a (KM information system) Couillard and Lapierre (2003) Eppler and Sukowski (2000) E, C, I Kulkarni et al. (2006) C Lakshman (2005, 2007) S, E, C, (I) Wong (2005) Yang (2007) Yeh et al. (2006) Zárraga and Bonache (2003)