Hvilken organisationsstruktur skaber viden?

- New book brings the framework for knowledge processes into focus

Today the most important resource of the company is employees and their knowledge. The focus on processes such as sharing, creation and integration of knowledge in practice and in terms of research has been massive.

But what organisational framework creates the best basis for knowledge processes? And how is it possible to create a cooperative managerial structure? Professor Nicolai Foss from the Center for Strategic Management and Globalization and Professor Snejina Michailova from the University of Auckland Business School, New Zealand, has tried to answer these questions in their new book, Knowledge Governance: Processes and Perspectives.

The managerial structure was forgotten

It is no secret that companies depend on the creation of new knowledge. There has been conducted research on this for decades, but the focus has been on Knowledge Management instead of Knowledge Governance.’Governance’ puts focus on aspects of organisation, which can be designed, such as the formal structure, remuneration mechanisms, HR policies etc. The fundamental argument of the book is that knowledge processes should be considered when designing an organisation.

- We do not think that there has been conducted any systematic research on this matter. This is related to the fact that organisational design has been ignored to a certain extent in organisation research for decades. And focus on knowledge has truly emerged within the past two decades. Governance refers to the framework, for instance the organisational structure. It is our opinion that the significance of knowledge governance has been played down in the literature of knowledge management, which typically has attached importance to either IT systems or soft, informal variables such as culture, says Nicolai Foss.

How is knowledge governed?

It may seem abstract to create a knowledge process through for instance design of organisational structures. Nevertheless, Nicolai Foss does not think that it should be neglected on that account.

- We try to see governance mechanisms as management tools to affect knowledge processes in desired directions and towards desired results. Any organisational structure, remuneration system or HR policy affect knowledge processes. We see the consequences for knowledge processes as something that should be incorporated in organisational design, says Nicolai Foss.

The book is published by Oxford University Press. It is an edited work with contributions by very prominent research such as Professor Linda Argote from the Carnegie-Mellon University.

Read more about the book: http://www.oup.com/uk/catalogue/?ci=9780199235926