Innovation of production technology, tacit knowledge and inter-organisational learning: towards an integrated framework of analysis and management

Two increasingly important themes have emerged in the strategic management literature: that of the knowledge-based view and that of networks and alliances for knowledge sharing. However, there remain insufficient studies on specific organisational and managerial mechanisms through which knowledge is appropriated. The increasing popularity of the notion of knowledge management has yet failed to bring management's attention to the skills and knowledge of wider groups of workforce rather than the professional groups. For example, there is insufficient understanding of how different groups of workers involved in a given type of production technology may interact with each other for the improvisation of the production technology. The aim of this conceptual paper is to propose an integrated approach to study the role of user involvement in the continuous innovation of production technology, using a multi-disciplinary and an inter-organisational framework for analysis. The paper identifies a range of factors which may affect the level of knowledge sharing among different groups of workers within and between organisations. This paper aims to make a contribution to the study and management of innovations in production technology.