Abstract
This study examines how members of core (engineers) and peripheral (technical writers) professional communities are creating new knowledge. Base of field observation and interviews from DigTel, an innovative technology firm, we explore how specific interaction mechanism, the chavruta, borrowed from Judaic religious tradition, creates dialogical practices that enable technical writers and engineers to capture each other's language and to reflexively create knowledge out of their discourse. We demonstrate how the chavruta enable to bridge status and power and transform occupational differences into collaboration. We provide a theoretical explanation for the way local knowledge created at the chavruta has served as a new context for new knowledge through engineers and technical writers managing three dialogical practices - learning, inquiry, negotiation and knowledge sharing.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 19-36 |
Number of pages | 18 |
Journal | European Management Review |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Mar 2016 |
Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2015 European Academy of Management.
Keywords
- knowledge creation
- occupational communities
- practice, collaborative knowledge work
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Business and International Management
- Strategy and Management