The Theory of Knowledge Fields: A Thermodynamics Approach

Abstract

The emergence of knowledge economy and knowledge management revealed the need for reconsidering the concept of knowledge in a larger framework than that created by philosophers from ancient times. While the epistemology as a theory of knowledge and justification considers knowledge as a justified true belief, experts in knowledge management consider knowledge as a strategic resource. The new economic interpretation of knowledge as a strategic resource and a key contributor to achieving a competitive advantage generated a search of new metaphors to supply the attributes needed in constructing the new framework of understanding and operating with a working concept of knowledge in management. The most widespread knowledge metaphors are based on analogies with stocks, flows, and stock-and-flows. These metaphors induce, beyond some useful attributes, the Newtonian mechanics paradigm which is limited by the properties of linear spaces and reversible processes. The purpose of this paper is to show how we can enrich the theory of knowledge by introducing the concepts of knowledge fields and knowledge dynamics based on metaphorical thinking and the thermodynamics principles. The focus of our research is the energy metaphor which considers energy as a source semantic field. The main outcome of the present research is that knowledge can be considered as a field, which is manifesting in different forms like energy. This thermodynamics framework opens new directions for research in knowledge management, decision-making and leadership.Furthermore, tacit knowledge is deeply rooted in an individual's action and experience, as well as in 52 the ideals, values, or emotions he or she embraces" [8, p. 8]. Since tacit knowledge is processed in the 53 cognitive unconscious zone of our brain we hardly are aware of how much we know. As Polanyi [14, 54 p. 4] reveals, "we can know more than we can tell". 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 Figure 1. The structure of a conceptual metaphor 71 72 73 The second generation of knowledge metaphors introduced in the source domain the concept of 74 flows or stocks-and-flows [15-17]. Knowledge is compared with a flow of fluid from one part of the 75 organization to another one, or with a flow in time. That is a very simple and intuitive metaphor, 76 which was used also in the beginning for understanding heat and electricity. However, applying 77 fluid mechanics to knowledge dynamics yields a mechanical thinking model with its tangibility and 78 linearity limitations. The flows and stocks-and-flows metaphors cannot explain organizational 79 learning processes which are based on knowledge transformations. Also, these metaphors cannot 80 explain managerial decision-making processes and organizational changes.81 The linearity induced attribute by these metaphors created real difficulties in evaluating 82 intellectual capital (IC) which is based on knowledge and other intangible organizational resources.83 Even the definition of the intellectual capital has been influenced by this linearity ...

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