Purpose -The paper seeks to provide a theoretical contribution to the current phase of the knowledge creation theory of knowledge management (KM) by addressing the need for a paradigm shift and having more ontological and epistemological discussions.Design/methodology/approach -The proposed ''becoming to know'' framework builds on the KM literature review and on the study of learning, knowing and becoming concepts from several perspectives. Both conceptual and empirical research papers contribute to the framework.Findings -The paper presents the challenges of KM; it identifies five phases of the knowledge creation theory development through 1995-2008; it summarizes the main criticism against the theory; and it proposes the ''becoming epistemology'' concept and the ''becoming to know'' framework. The main elements of this framework are: engaging, exploring, experiencing, emerging, enabling and evolving.Research implications -Study of the KM literature reveals several other challenges that are not addressed here and could provide opportunities for researchers. The paper calls for more discussions regarding the paradigm shift and for more attention to the participative research paradigm, as well as action and case study research in KM.Originality/value -Drawing on the participative paradigm, epistemology of practice, extended epistemology, transformative teleology, becoming ontology and on concepts of learning, knowing, and becoming, the proposed framework illustrates the dynamic, iterative, interactive interplay and evolution of ontological and epistemological knowledge creation spirals that is the essence of the knowledge creation theory.

Purpose-The concept of ''knowledge'' is presented in diverse and sometimes even controversial ways in the knowledge management (KM) literature. The aim of this paper is to identify the emerging views of knowledge and to develop a framework to illustrate the interrelationships of the different knowledge types. Design/methodology/approach-This paper is a literature review to explore how ''knowledge'' as a central concept is presented and understood in a selected range of KM publications (1990-2004). Findings-The exploration of the knowledge landscape showed that ''knowledge'' is viewed in four emerging and complementary ways. The ontological, epistemological, commodity, and community views of knowledge are discussed in this paper. The findings show that KM is still a young discipline and therefore it is natural to have different, sometimes even contradicting views of ''knowledge'' side by side in the literature. Practical implications-These emerging views of knowledge could be seen as opportunities for researchers to provide new contributions. However, this diversity and complexity call for careful and specific clarification of the researchers' standpoint, for a clear statement of their views of knowledge. Originality/value-This paper offers a framework as a compass for researchers to help their orientation in the confusing and ever changing landscape of knowledge.

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 -How people learn and create knowledge together through interactions in communities of practice (CoPs) is not fully understood. The purpose of this paper is to create and apply a model that could increase participants' consciousness about knowledge creation processes. Design/methodology/approach -This four-month qualitative research was conducted as action research (AR). Data were collected through participative inquiry.Findings -Drawing on current developments in the knowledge creation theory of knowledge management (KM) and taking the collaborative learning approach (CLA), the model of collaborative knowledge creation process (CKCP) is constructed and applied. It brings structure into highly unstructured human processes of knowledge creation and helps participants to understand what they are doing and why. Research limitations/implications -It is difficult to assess the quality, validity and objectivity of the data as the researcher was a member of the community. Further research could address the role of diversity and social context, and the formation of the community identity. Practical implications -Members of this specific community (i.e. managers, teachers, students, and experts) reflected that the implemented way of learning helped them to realize the importance of interactions, exchanges, and collective experiences in community knowledge creation. Originality/value -Applying AR is rather exceptional in KM. However, it proved to be a good way of experiencing knowledge creation processes in communities. The novelty of the study is in contributing to the KM theory by opening the black box of community knowledge creation by demonstrating in practice how people interacted and created knowledge in a specific community.

In our complex and highly connected world, educating for life—that is, educating students with knowledge, skills, and competences infused with practical wisdom (PW) and ethical and moral values—is essential. The paper seeks to answer the question: how could university education facilitate the progress to a wiser and better world? The methodology involves case study research (CSR) based on both secondary and primary data. The missions, visions, and values of fourteen public Finnish universities are analyzed for PW. The findings demonstrate that universities, by becoming more open, unbounded, and enacting organizations, and by enhancing collaboration with businesses, could foster the cultivation of PW in higher education (HE). The novelty of this paper is the creative communication of the case study, where kairos, logos, pathos, and ethos are used to explore a new reality for HE. The article contributes to the contemporary discourses in the literature on the future of HE. Educators in HE need to transform from knowledge workers to wise leaders, wisdom workers, creators, empathizers, pattern recognizers, and meaning makers. The context of the case study research makes it difficult to generalize. Therefore, international, comparative research is used to complement the findings. The eight-stage change process applied to universities and HE could help in solving the urgent problems of society and facilitating progress to a wiser and better world.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a case about the emergence of human capital (HC) during the master thesis as a work-based learning project. Design/methodology/approach The case study uses data from 107 master’s students 2007–2011 and feedback from 91 managers as business advisors 2007–2016. Findings The findings show direct contributions of higher education (HE) to intellectual capital (IC) in organisations through the enhanced HC of managers. Originality/value The case contributes to the emerging new, fifth stage of IC research by demonstrating how HC develops beyond the boundaries of an educational institution; how it influences an organisation’s IC and how 91 business advisors, as external stakeholders, assessed the achievements and value creation of HE.