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Knowledge is created through discourse in ba that is the physical, mental and/or virtual arena of knowledge creation. This article studies ba in international humanist (H-group), technical (T-group) and scientific (S-group) research groups. These international groups consist of members originating from many countries. The empirical evidence is derived from interviews and discourse analysis of three research groups from the University of Oulu which, by staff, is the most international large university in Finland. The article advances understanding of ba by considering the theory of ba in relation to the discourse and exploratory case study. In the case groups, ba is formed in relation to the knowledge type created, suitable characteristics of a group member and structural factors related to administrative responsibilities. Humanist knowledge, with abstract concepts and philosophical discussions, is created with deeper attention to language and social bonds inside the H-group than the more accurate scientific and technical knowledge in the S-and T-groups.

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/ authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to develop the concept of cognitive proximity, by studying it as a process in groups and dissecting how cognitive proximity is related to knowledge creation that results, for example, in articles and technological applications. Cognitive proximity, i.e. similar knowledge bases, is essential in creating knowledge in groups whose members have different professional and cultural backgrounds, which is often the case in internationalizing universities and companies.Design/methodology/approach -The case study includes four top-level international academic groups from Finnish universities that have a foreign leader. The groups were followed from 2007-2009. Interviews and diaries are analysed using mental mapping.Findings -According to the results, cognitive proximity is achieved through cooperation and suitable tasks. Knowledge is created during cognitive friction -when members are becoming cognitively proximate through knowledge base content, but developing a cognitive distance through a knowledge base structure.Originality/value -This paper is one of the earliest efforts to study cognitive proximity as a process in groups. Cognitive proximity has especially raised interest in the fields of knowledge management and economic geography.CP has recently been a focus of interest in the fields of economic geography (e.g. Boschma, 2005, p. 61) and knowledge management (e.g. Messeni Petruzzelli et al.

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