ABSTRACT
This chapter adopts a post-modern perspective of risk and uncertainty and, accordingly, conceptualizes and explores the role of knowledge in organizations that function in these dynamic environments. The conceptualization of knowledge illustrates more clearly how knowledge that is distributed among individuals and embedded in their work practices can be integrated and shared with others. The conceptualization of knowledge adheres to Polanyi's thesis and presumes characteristics that are critical to an organization. While this conceptualization in some ways complicates the study of what is seemingly an indiscernible event, the chapter also focuses the author's attention on the ongoing processes which manage the environment for sustained reliable outcomes. In turn, the chapter discusses how a group might organize for reliable outcomes and distinguishes the high reliability organization as one that maintains operations within highly ambiguous and oftentimes dangerous settings.
