Title: The small firm: as a distributed evolving social learning network

Authors: David Higgins

Addresses: Business School, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield, HD1 3DH, UK

Abstract: The paper views knowledge creation as an emerging process, in which knowledge content and form crucially depends on the social relationships around which work is organised, and the purpose for which knowledge is used. The paper takes a social constructionist approach, by conveying an underlying expectation that knowledge and learning do not run separate to the known world. The paper will put forward the perspective that in order for the small firm to become a distributed evolving knowledge system, the promotion of social interactions amongst its components and agents is required.

Keywords: knowledge creation; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; social networks; evolving networks; distributed networks; learning networks; emerging processes; knowledge content; knowledge form; social relationships; work organisation; social constructionism; constructionist approaches; underlying expectations; known world; knowledge systems; social interactions; components; agents; innovation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2011.042081

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2011 Vol.10 No.3, pp.268 - 284

Published online: 26 Nov 2014 *

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