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Enabling Knowledge Creation: How to Unlock the Mystery of Tacit Knowledge and Release the Power of Innovation by Georg von Krogh  (1)  £18.99

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Book Description
How has Japan become a major economic power, a world leader in the automotive and electronics industries? What is the secret of their success? The consensus has been that, though the Japanese are not particularly innovative, they are exceptionally skilful at imitation, at improving products that already exist. But now two leading Japanese business experts, Ikujiro Nonaka and Hiro Takeuchi, turn this conventional wisdom on its head: Japanese firms are successful, they contend,
precisely because they are innovative, because they create new knowledge and use it to produce successful products and technologies.

Examining case studies drawn from such firms as Honda, Canon, Matsushita, NEC, 3M, GE, and the U.S. Marines, this book reveals how Japanese companies translate tacit to explicit knowledge and use it to produce new processes, products, and services.

Synopsis
How has Japan become a major economic power, a world leader in the automotive and electronics industries? What is the secret of their success? The consensus has been that, though the Japanese are not particularly innovative, they are exceptionally skillful at imitation, at improving products that already exist. But now two leading Japanese business experts, Ikujiro Nonaka and Hiro Takeuchi, turn this conventional wisdom on its head: Japanese firms are successful, they contend, precisely because they are innovative, because they create new knowledge and use it to produce successful products and technologies. Examining case studies drawn from such firms as Honda, Canon, Matsushita, NEC, 3M, GE, and the U.S. Marines, this book reveals how Japanese companies translate tacit to explicit knowledge and use it to produce new processes, products, and services.

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First Sentence
Japanese companies remain an enigma to most Westerners. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover

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Working Knowledge: How Organizations Manage What They Know by Thomas H Davenport  (14)  £6.99

Enabling Knowledge Creation: How to Unlock the Mystery of Tacit Knowledge and Release the Power of Innovation by Georg von Krogh  (1)  £18.99

The Fifth Discipline by Peter M. Senge  (2)  £14.00

Harvard Business Review on Knowledge Management: The Definitive Resource for Professionals ("Harvard Business Review" Paperback) by HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW  (8)  £11.39

Cultivating Communities of Practice: A Guide to Managing Knowledge by Etienne Wegner  (2)  £13.29

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3 Reviews 5 star:  (2) 4 star:  (1) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review (3 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   8 of 9 people found the following review helpful: The hidden organisational agenda of Japanese success, 24 April 1997 By A Customer Why have Japanese companies become successful? This book offers a new explanation. It is argued that success of Japanese companies is not due to manufacturing prowess; access to cheap capital; close and cooperative relationships with customers, suppliers and government agencies; or lifetime employment and other human resources management practices - although all of these factors are important. Instead the claim is made that Japanese companies have been successful because of their skills and expertise at "organisational knowledge creation". This term is defined as the capability of the company as a whole to create new knowledge, disseminate it throughout the organisation, and embody it in products, services, and systems. The book's case studies demonstrate that this is the golden key to the distinctive ways that Japanese companies innovate continuously, incrementally and spirally. Rugby provides a metaphor for the speed and flexibility with which Japanese companies develop new products - as in rugby, the ball gets passed within the team as it moves up the field as a unit. The ball being passed around in the team contains a shared understanding of what the company stands for, where it is going, what kind of a world it wants to live in, and how to make that world a reality. Highly subjective insights, intuitions, and hunches are also embraced. That's what the ball contains - namely, ideals, values, and emotions. Ball movement in rugby is borne out of the team members' interplay on the field. It is determined on the spot ("here and now"), based on direct experience and trial and error. It requires an intensive and laborious interaction among members of the team. This interactive process is analogous to how total knowledge is created organisationally. This book calls for a fundamental shift in thinking about what the business organisation does with knowledge. Two kinds of human knowledge are distinguished. One is "explicit knowledge" which can be articulated in formal language including mathematical expressions and manuals. This kind of knowledge can be transmitted across individuals formally and easily. It has been the dominant mode of knowledge in the Western philosophical tradition. The Japanese company adds a second type of knowledge, "tacit knowledge" which is hard to articulate with formal language. This more personal form of knowledge is embedded in individual experience and involves intangible factors such as personal belief, perspective and the value system. In the West, tacit knowledge has been overlooked as a critical component of collective human behaviour. In contrast, tacit knowledge - and diffusion of learning from individual to team to organisation is a critical source of Japanese companies' competitiveness. Unless you understand this, Japanese management - and the way they win the business team game - will remain an enigma. Why not ready yourslef by discussing hidden knowledge-building agendas in our e-mail summit "Organising Creativity". It's free if you are passionately interested .................................................................. Chris Macrae, editor of Brand Chartering Handbook & MELNET www.brad.ac.uk/branding/ E-mail me at wcbn007@easynet.co.uk  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   7 of 9 people found the following review helpful: It explains the abstract concept of KM in a good theory., 1 Jul 1998 By A Customer I spent one whole week reading the book when I was doing my full time MBA and I just loved this book. It's articulate, interesting (except first two chapters, esp the second chapter - sorry to say that), and inspiring. However, be careful when you read it, especially about what the authors' intention is, i.e. to theorise about their rather unique perspective on the CREATION of ORGANISATIONAL (not individual) KNOWLEDGE. As such, don't miss the Preface, in which authors explain their intention of writing this book (their belief) - 'There is nothing so practical as a good theory' (mentioned by Kurt Lewin). That's all I wanted to say, enjoy reading it. And...the whole week I spent finally paid off, I got 'A' grade in this assignment - it adds to my happy memory on those days!! Take care.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   1 of 6 people found the following review helpful: