Concerning the conversion of tacit knowledge into explicit and
vice versa . . .
I think that Kenneth Boulding's comments in "Beyond Economics"
pertain here:
"Thus education is a process by which what somebody knows or knew
is transmitted to others. Research, by contrast, is a process by
which somebody gets to know something which nobody knew before.
The two processes are highly intertwined. In the very act of
transmitting knowledge, new knowledge is often created, which is
one reason why universities combine the research and education
processes. Knowledge is also lost in transmission, which is a
kind of negative research, through noise and misunderstanding
which incidentally points up the great importance of dialogue
and two-way transmission if the body of knowledge is not to
deteriorate in transmission."
I find the image of 'negative research' fascinating -- it seems
to surround us in half-truths and un-explored facets of ideas.
People invest (I almost wrote 'spend') far too little time in
attempting to say just what they mean, resorting to cliches,
buzzwords, and other linguistic short-cuts.
-- Michael Ayers mbayers@mmm.com (612) 733-5690 FAX (612) 737-7718 IT Education Svcs/3M Center 224-2NE-02/PO Box 33224/St Paul MN 55133-3224 ++ Any ideas expressed in this note represent the author's ++ ++ thinking (or lack thereof) and do not represent the ++ ++ positions of any affiliated organizations. ++