Sharing Practical Knowledge: A case study in a bio-pharmaceutical industry

Abstract

The goal of this study is to analyse and evaluate an instance of the process of sharing practical knowledge in an industrial setting. Research findings from this study have unravelled characteristics of this process that to date have not been discussed in the literature. The situated nature of practical knowledge calls for the development of a range of alternative solutions; socialization processes do not guarantee the sharing of practical knowledge as political issues seem to play a key role; the application of routines (standard work processes) to facilitate the sharing of practical knowledge is limited; and current practice-based approaches assume a set of ideal conditions that are rarely realized in industrial settings. The empirical evidence was based on a case study in a bio-pharmaceutical industry.