Tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge

Understanding Tacit Knowledge

Tacit knowledge refers to the kind of knowledge that is difficult to articulate or express to others verbally or in writing.

This type of knowledge is often acquired through personal experience and is deeply embedded in our actions and skills.

Think about riding a bicycle or swimming.

You can’t learn these skills just by reading instructions from a book.

Instead, you learn through practice and experience until the actions become second nature to you.

Tacit knowledge is more intuitive and involves insights, intuitions, and hunches.

It is personal and context-based, making it hard to formalize and communicate.

Employees in organizations often have a significant amount of tacit knowledge gained over years of working, which allows them to solve problems and make decisions quickly, often without even realizing they’re doing something that others might find complex.

Examples of Tacit Knowledge

One common example of tacit knowledge is artisanship, such as the skill of crafting a beautiful piece of pottery.

An expert potter understands the subtle touch needed to shape clay, a skill honed over tens of thousands of hours.

Professional sports players rely heavily on tacit knowledge every time they play a game.

They don’t just analyze; they feel their way through a rebound or an opportunity to score a goal.

In the business world, a seasoned negotiator uses their tacit knowledge to judge the unspoken cues during negotiations.

Their decisions often rely more on intuition than on explicit guidelines.

Exploring Explicit Knowledge

Explicit knowledge is knowledge that is easily communicated and shared with others, typically in written, visual, or verbal formats.

It’s the type of knowledge you might find in textbooks, manuals, and instructions.

This knowledge can be easily codified, documented, and shared with others, like when you read an encyclopedia entry or a guide on how to set up your smartphone.

Because of its tangible nature, explicit knowledge is easier to transfer and store than tacit knowledge.

It can be neatly documented in procedures, guidelines, or databases, making it widely accessible and transferable.

Examples of Explicit Knowledge

Explicit knowledge includes anything that can be documented, archived, and codified, such as mathematical formulas, scientific research, and historical documents.

It also includes company policy manuals or a recipe in a cookbook.

Explicit knowledge is also evident in education systems that use syllabi, textbooks, and online courses to teach students.

Programming languages are another domain of explicit knowledge, where codes and syntaxes are documented comprehensively.

Complete tutorials and user manuals that explain how to use a specific product or software application are also based on explicit knowledge.

Differences Between Tacit and Explicit Knowledge

The fundamental difference lies in how each type of knowledge is acquired, communicated, and stored.

Tacit knowledge is personal and context-specific.

It is intuitively and unconsciously acted upon and is not easily articulated or shared.

On the other hand, explicit knowledge is formalized, organized, and can be easily shared with others.

Acquisition of tacit knowledge involves learning through direct personal experience, often requiring prolonged periods.

In contrast, explicit knowledge can often be acquired relatively quickly through reading documents or listening to lectures.

Another key difference is in the transferability and scalability.

Tacit knowledge, because it is rooted in experience, is difficult to transfer or scale across a large group.

Explicit knowledge can be distributed quickly and widely, enabling organizations to achieve consistency and standardization.

The Relationship Between Tacit and Explicit Knowledge

Despite their differences, tacit and explicit knowledge often work together symbiotically.

Organizations need to harness both for optimum performance.

For example, an organization might turn tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge through a process known as externalization, where someone documents their experiences and techniques so others can learn from them.

Similarly, explicit knowledge often provides a foundation for the development of tacit knowledge, as the theories and information learned through reading help guide practical experiences.

This interaction creates a dynamic learning environment where explicit knowledge supports the development of tacit skills and insights.

The Importance of Knowledge Management

The ability to effectively manage both tacit and explicit knowledge is crucial for individuals and organizations alike.

By recognizing and capturing the tacit knowledge embedded within a workforce, organizations can foster better innovation and problem-solving capabilities.

A comprehensive knowledge management system makes it easier to record, store, and share explicit knowledge.

Training, mentorship programs, and collaborative projects can help disseminate tacit knowledge, creating a rich learning culture where employees can grow and develop.

For individuals, appreciating the value of your tacit knowledge can help you become more aware of your unique skills and strengths.

At the same time, expanding your explicit knowledge through study and self-education can open up new opportunities for growth and development.

Conclusion

Both tacit and explicit knowledge play vital roles in our personal and professional lives.

By understanding and leveraging these types of knowledge, we can enhance learning, improve communication, and drive innovation in our respective fields.

Cultivating an environment where both kinds of knowledge can thrive will lead to more meaningful collaboration, improved efficiency, and sustained success.