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The current study suggests the presence of counter-knowledge to spread misperceptions or misunderstandings arising from the existence of institutional voids. Blind spots may be partly caused by such counter-knowledge that triggers the knowledge gaps of the actors in the face of the new information and knowledge society. Find or instance, when we talk about blind spots in the Spanish National Healthcare System (SNHS), we refer to the presence of incorrect stereotypes among the different actors, the feminisation of the profession even though the elderly population they serve continues to associate the figure of the doctor with the masculine role, the lack of awareness about the importance of data protection or cyberattacks. This study suggests that counter-knowledge is likely to result in the lack of clear vision after suffering from blind spots. Such counter-knowledge hinders people from things that most of us take for granted, which creates difficulties for engagement among multifaceted stakeholders with diverse expertise and specialities to overcome blind spots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a lack, particularly in relation to SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises), of managerial mechanisms to overcome environmental knowledge barriers. Some of these barriers are related to resource shortages or outdated knowledge, which can impede the utilization of Knowledge. In the following paper, we consider that if environmental knowledge barriers are present then specific knowledge management practices are required to stimulate the utilization of knowledge and, hence, provide for the assimilation of knowledge. Thus, in this paper, we focus on socializations practices as a method to counteract the problem of environmental knowledge barriers. We have analysed the relationships between environmental knowledge barriers and the SECI model using an empirical study of 87 Spanish SMEs in order to identify whether the impact of environmental knowledge barriers on knowledge utilization can be mitigated through socializations practices. Our results confirm that when environmental knowledge barriers take place, the relationship between socializations practices and the utilization of Knowledge is weaker than it otherwise would be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]