KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND DIALECTICS

just the tip of the iceberg. They view knowledge as primarily tacit -
namely, something that is not easily visible and expressible, something
that is highly personal and hard to formalize, something that is gained
through the use of metaphors or pictures, and something deeply rooted in
an individual's action and experience.
This emphasis placed on tacit knowledge in Japan gives rise to a
whole different view of an organization - not as a machine for processing
information, as in the West, but as a living organism. Within this
context, sharing an understanding of what the company stands for, where
it is headed, what kind of a world it wants to live in, and how to make
that world a reality becomes much more crucial than processing
objective information.
In addition, the emphasis placed on tacit knowledge gives rise to a whole
different view of how learning is achieved - not only through the mind,
but through both body and mind. The learning organization in the West
utilizes Hsystems thinking” to shift the mind from seeing the parts to
seeing the whole. Its focus is clearly on learning with the mind, not with
the body. In contrast, managers in Japan emphasize the importance of
learning from direct experience, as well as through trial and error. Like a
child learning to eat, walk, and talk, they learn with both their mind and
body. As mentioned earlier, this tradition of emphasizing the oneness of
body and mind has been a unique feature of Japanese thinking.
Furthermore, the emphasis placed on tacit, knowledge gives rise to a
whole new way of thinking about innovation. It is not just about putting
together diverse bits of data and information. Instead, it is a highly
personal process in which the commitment of the employees and their
identity with the company and its mission become indispensable. In this
HIROTAKA TAKEUCHI AND IKUJIRO NONAKA: KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND
DIALECTICS (0507; p. 23 )