Organisational knowledge and justification – a conceptual analysis of the practice-based perspective

Date
2017-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : In this research the practice-based approach to the justification of organisational knowledge is investigated with the specific objective to contribute to a conceptually clearer understanding of the theoretical construct of justification in the context of Knowledge Management. Chapter 1 of the research provides a conceptual background to the research problem and aligns the interest of the research with that of theorists’ who approach justification from a practicebased perspective. The second chapter provides a detailed evaluation of the development of the justification concern in Knowledge Management theory and elaborates on the dissimilarities between the two main approaches to organisational knowledge justification. In addition this chapter elaborates on the selection criteria for the two practice-based justification theories that are considered in detail in Chapters 3 and 4 respectively. The first of these contributions, Georg von Krogh’s managerial justification theory, is discussed in Chapter 3 and pays specific attention to his conceptualisation of justification in the context of autopoiesis, constructionism and dominant logic. In Chapter 4 the pluralist justification framework proposed by Fredrik Tell is expanded on against the background of epistemological pluralism and the integration of divergent philosophical approaches in the structure and process of justification. In both chapters the contribution from each theory is considered in relation to the main implications and limitations that the theoretical framework provides to the concept of justification. Chapter 5 concludes on the overall implications of the justification construct when viewed from a practice-based theoretical perspective.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : In hierdie navorsing word die praktykgebaseerde benadering tot die regverdiging van organisatoriese kennis ondersoek met die spesifieke doel om by te dra tot ‘n konsepsueel duideliker begrip van die teoretiese konstruk van regverdiging op die gebied van Kennisbestuur. Hoofstuk 1 verskaf ‘n konsepsuele agtergrond tot die navorsingsprobleem en posisioneer die navorsing in die konteks van teoretici wat regverdiging benader van ‘n praktyk gebaseerde perspektief. Hoofstuk 2 verskaf ‘n gedetailleerde evaluasie van die ontwikkeling van die regverdigingsbegrip in Kennisbestuursteorie en brei uit op die verskille tussen die twee hoofbenaderings tot organisatoriese kennisregverdiging. Ook handel die hoofstuk oor die seleksiekriteria vir die twee praktykgebaseerde regverdigingsteoriëe wat in detail bespreek word in hoofstukke 3 en 4. Die eerste van hierdie bydraes, Georg von Krogh se bestuursregverdigings teorie, word bespreek in Hoofstuk 3 en fokus spesifiek op sy konsepsualisering van regverding in die konteks van autopoiesis, konstruksionisme and dominante logika. In Hoofstuk 4 word the pluralistiese regverdigingsraamwerk van Frederik Tell uiteengesit teen die agtergrond van epistemologiese pluralisme en die integrasie van uiteenlopende benaderings in die struktuur en proses van regverdiging. In beide hoofstukke word die bydrae van elke teorie oorweeg in verhouding tot die hoof implikasies en beperkinge wat die teoretiese raamwerk verskaf tot die konsep van regverdiging. Hoofstuk 5 sluit af met die oorkoepelende implikasies van die regverdigingskonstruk uit die perspektief van praktykgebaseerde teorie.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2017.
Keywords
Knowledge management, Justification (Theory of knowledge), Organisational knowledge, UCTD
Citation