Title: Overcoming knowledge dilemmas: governing the creation, sharing and use of knowledge resources

Authors: Jetta Frost, Michele Morner

Addresses: School of Business, Economics and Social Sciences, Chair of Organization and Management, University of Hamburg, Von Melle Park 5, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany. ' Private University of Witten/Herdecke, Alfred-Herrhausen-Strasse 50, D-58448 Witten, Germany

Abstract: Knowledge governance involves overcoming knowledge dilemmas. These dilemmas result from the public-good characteristics of knowledge: non-rivalry and non-excludability. The aim of this paper is to provide a framework in which a repertoire of governance modes and mechanisms is developed and evaluated according to the public-good characteristics of knowledge resources. Based on the theories of public good, social dilemma and organisation, we derive propositions for effectively governing the creation, sharing and use of knowledge resources. Relying on a case study in the telecommunications industry with data from 42 narrative interviews, we mix theoretical reasoning with qualitative data analysis in order to specify the theoretically derived propositions. Our results show how the two actor-oriented characteristics cognitive proximity and procedural adherence influence the choice of different governance modes.

Keywords: knowledge resources; knowledge dilemmas; public goods; governance modes; governance mechanisms; case study; knowledge management; knowledge creation; knowledge sharing; knowledge use; knowledge governance; telecommunications industry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSCM.2010.034413

International Journal of Strategic Change Management, 2010 Vol.2 No.2/3, pp.172 - 199

Published online: 02 Aug 2010 *

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