Content area
Full Text
The management of knowledge has become a frequently discussed topic in the management literature. What are the fundamental conditions for knowledge creation? Where is knowledge creation located? Is it possible to actually manage knowledge like other resources? To address these questions we introduce the Japanese concept of "ba," which roughly translates into the English word "place."
The concept of ba was originally proposed by the Japanese philosopher Kitaro Nishida and was further developed by Shimizu.' Although our concept of ba draws extensively from these works, we have adapted it for the purpose of elaborating our model of knowledge creation. For those unfamiliar with the concept, ba can be thought of as a shared space for emerging relationships. This space can be physical (e.g., office, dispersed business space), virtual (e.g., e-mail, teleconference), mental (e.g., shared experiences, ideas, ideals), or any combination of them. What differentiates ba from ordinary human interaction is the concept of knowledge creation. Ba provides a platform for advancing individual and/or collective knowledge. It is from such a platform that a transcendental perspective integrates all information needed. Ba may also be thought of as the recognition of the self in all. According to the theory of existentialism, ba is a context which harbors meaning. Thus, we consider ba to be a shared space that serves as a foundation for knowledge creation.
Knowledge is embedded in ba (in these shared spaces), where it is then acquired through one's own experience or reflections on the experiences of others. If knowledge is separated from ba, it turns into information, which can then be communicated independently from ba. Information resides in media and networks. It is tangible. In contrast, knowledge resides in ba. It is intangible.
We ground the concept of ba in an existentialist framework. The key platform of knowledge creation is the "phenomenal" place. Such a place of knowledge can emerge in individuals, working groups, project teams, informal circles, temporary meetings, e-mail groups, and at the front-line contact with the customer. The four most common types of ba are described below.
Within an organization, knowledge-creating teams or projects play key roles in value creation. Value creation in knowledge-creating companies emerges from interactions within shared ba but is not restricted to the physical ba. The concept...