Difficulties in diffusion of tacit knowledge in organizations

Difficulties related to sharing tacit knowledge are to be found related to perception, language, time, value and distance.

Abstract

To manage intangible assets such as knowledge is perceived as an important capability for competition. One of the main matters for managing knowledge resources is diffusion of knowledge within organizations. Knowledge management needs different forms according to the possibility to code knowledge. Internal individual processes like experience and talent obtain tacit knowledge that is difficult to code. Therefore it cannot be managed and shared as explicit knowledge. To rely on personal tacit knowledge is risky. Conversion of tacit knowledge to explicit or at least ability to share it offers greater value to an organization. But what are the difficulties related to sharing tacit knowledge? Different difficulties are to be found related to perception, language, time, value and distance.