Learning and knowledge management

In recent years management literature has shown a growing interest in both learning and knowledge (Senge 1990; Huber 1991; Argyris 1993; Leonard-Barton 1992; Nonaka 1994; Nonaka and Takeuchi 1995; Choo 1998, Davenport and Prusack 1998). The reason for this is that knowledge is now seen as a strategic asset and the primary resource for competitive advantage. With the contemporary information and knowledge society (Toffler 1980; Drucker 1993), the picture of organisations’ competitive advantage has changed; instead of focusing on physical capital and manual work, the competence and knowledge of the employees have become seen as valuable sources of advantage (Badaracco 1991; Drucker 1993). However, as argued by Grant (1996), consistent with Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995), it is not knowledge per se that is of importance, but rather the knowledge integration and interaction that help to support the generation of new knowledge in organisations.