Key levels for knowledge creation and management: which is the ontological locus for learning in Spanish manufacturing firms?

Abstract

This paper aims to highlight two core issues related to knowledge management and organisational learning. First deals with the ontological support-knowledge creation relationship. Secondly, the comparison between Crossan et al. (1999) and Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) models: on what ontological supports knowledge is created? Individuals, groups and organisation: are they independent or do they interact with each other? Is individual level swallowed up by the group [as Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) seems to suggest], leading to groups and organisation as unique ontological levels? The empirical study draws those ontological levels in large manufacturing Spanish firms. It identifies (via exploratory factor analysis) the ontological supports of knowledge going on to apply a confirmatory factor analysis that shows the fit of the factors obtained from the sample. Finally, our research also identifies that individual-group ontological support of knowledge is significant, along with organisational (and institutional) ontological support of knowledge.