Knowledge Processes in Small Manufacturing: Re-examining Nonaka and Takeuchis' Model in the Indian Context

Abstract

While firms devote much to innovations and application of knowledge, their potential for creation of new knowledge has not been so much acknowledged. Consequently, studies on generation of new ideas and the inventive behaviour of firms have been less than meagre. Nonaka and Takeuchis’ SECI model (1995) is one of the most advanced models describing knowledge creation processes in business organisations. The model, however, owing to the particularity of its cultural setting needs to be re-examined for relevance in other contexts and situations. This article reports the findings from a study of product development in a small manufacturing foundry in India, where significant differences in the nature of the knowledge processes, from the description of the SECI model, have been observed.