Knowledge Assets and Knowledge Conversion: Addressing Issues of Practical Application.

There is a broad consensus regarding what constitute "knowledge assets" in an organisation and the mechanisms by which they are created and maintained via the Knowledge Management Cycle (Evans 2014). Their characterisation at the highest level as "tacit" or "explicit" (Nonaka and Takeuchi 1995) establishes a widely-accepted conceptual basis for their understanding. It is argued that particular knowledge assets lie on a spectrum between tacit and explicit extremes and that they move along this spectrum under the impetus of the process of "knowledge conversion" (Nonaka and van Krogh 2009). Knowledge conversion is seen as a fundamental dynamic that interplays between tacit and explicit knowledge in a non-linear way that leads to the enhancement of both. At the explicit end of the spectrum is "codified knowledge", that is, knowledge that has been converted into "accessible and applicable formats" (Grover and Davenport 2001) and can be communicated independently of the knower. This type of knowledge asset is identified as having the advantage that it is easier to distribute and reuse, but there are practical difficulties associated with it, in that its efficacy is dependent on how it is packaged as a "knowledge unit" and presented and controlled within an overall "knowledge architecture" (Zack 1999). Within this context, codified knowledge is examined to determine if approaches can be identified that optimise the knowledge conversion process, thereby enhancing the value of the resultant knowledge assets. This is done by exploring what may constitute a viable knowledge unit within the business environment, in conjunction with a complementary schema for constructing a knowledge architecture that optimises its application to business improvement and innovation. A cross-disciplinary approach is taken that draws on developments in technical communication (specifically DITA*), metadata standards, and continuous improvement practices (Kaizen, Lean, etc.). The proposed approaches to the management of codified knowledge assets, and the knowledge conversion process, are evaluated and discussed using a case study carried out in a knowledge-intensive mutual insurance company. *Darwin Information Typing Architecture [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]