Resumo

Externalization of knowledge is indispensable for corporate development in terms of of knowledge economy. Therefore, when one considers that in Knowledge Intensive Business Firms (KIBS) knowledge resides essentially within each person’s subjective experience, externalization becomes imperative since the turnover in human resources can interfere with available knowledge. The thesis this study consist that externalization plays a central role in the creation of corporate knowledge, it not only like a phase, it the most important moment in process knowledge creation.

Corporate knowledge is quite important for companies and the study of it creates different perspectives to knowledge management. This paper understood knowledge in the perspective of spiral form through a process that culminates in four possible modes of knowledge conversion. Within these four modes, externalization has been neglected by theory, despite its relevance in the process. This research aims at investigating the role of externalization in Brazil advertising agencies.

According to Nonaka (2008), in order the creation of organizational knowledge to develop efficiently, it requires a favorable context. Regardless of the chosen KM strategy – either through coding or personalization – this context can be structured through the following five conditions that encourage knowledge creation in companies: intention, autonomy, fluctuation and creative chaos, redundancy, and the variety requirement (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 2008a). These five conditions, when strategically articulated, prevent the knowledge generated by team members from being lost.

The research strategy applied consisted of a single case study with six mini-cases and the phenomenon itself was the unit of analysis. Using an exploratory approach, data was collected through an online questionnaire completed by employees and, in parallel, through an e-focus group with the managers of these companies. Furthermore, this data was dealt with through the perspective of content analysis.

Concerning the conditions required for the promotion of knowledge creation from the managers’ perspective, four out of the five aforementioned conditions have been identified. Only one of them – creative chaos – is represented to a considerable degree. Autonomy and intention seem relevant and even desired. However, the implemented actions have not yet reached the necessary practices in order to intentionally promote a rich environment full of knowledge creation.

One of the main conclusions reached by this research project is that externalization acts as a key element in the process of knowledge creation. It is not only important, as the literature points out; it is vital, for its absence tends to impede completion of the other tasks in the cycle of knowledge creation. Without transforming tacit knowledge in explicit knowledge, knowledge management is not possible; new knowledge might be created, but it may not reach the organizational level.

Nonaka, I. and von Krogh, G. (2009) ‘Perspective—Tacit knowledge and knowledge conversion: Controversy and advancement in organizational knowledge creation theory’, Organization Science, 20(3), pp. 635–652. doi: 10.1287/orsc.1080.0412. Nonaka, I.; Takeuchi,H. (1995) The Knowledge-creating company: how Japanese companies create the dynamics of innovation. New York: Oxford University Press. Razmerita, L., Kirchner, K., & Nielsen, P. (2016). What factors influence knowledge sharing in organizations? A social dilemma perspective of social media communication. Journal of Knowledge Management, 20(6)