Citation:
Veronique Ambrosini and Cliff Bowman, Surfacing Tacit Sources of Success, International Small Business Journal, 2008, Volume 26, Number 4, Pages 403-432
Abstract:
Eliciting and transferring tacit knowledge is critical for the growth ambitions
of small knowedge-intensive firms such as management consultancies because their
work is often intangible and ambiguous. How this can be done presents a
challenge as there are as yet no tools available to help them. This article
explains how the use of causal mapping helped the partners of one consultancy
firm to surface their tacit knowledge, to uncover what they should try to
replicate within the organization to sustain their success, and to refine their
raison d'etre. Through the mapping process, which is interactive, non-directive,
and generates ownership of the outcomes, the partners were encouraged to tap
into their ambiguous, tacit knowledge base, which constitutes a large part of
their consultancy's success. The article contributes to our understanding of
small business management practice, tacit knowledge and consulting
interventions.
