Tacit and Explicit Knowledge
Types of Knowledge
Tacit or Explicit are two types of knowledge. Another distinguishing characteristic of KM as opposed to other information management fields is the ability of KM to address knowledge in all of its forms, notably, tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge.
Tacit knowledge (Implicit Knowledge)
The knowledge or know-how (Skill or capability derived from knowledge and experience) is that people carry in their heads. Compared with explicit knowledge, tacit knowledge is more difficult to articulate or write down and so it tends to be shared between people through discussion, stories and personal interactions. It includes skills, experiences, insight, intuition and judgment.
Tacit Knowledge is personal knowledge embedded in individual experience and involves intangible factors such as personal belief, perspective, and the value system. Tacit knowledge is hard to articulate with formal language. Tacit Knowledge can be communicated into words, models or numbers that can be understand.
Note
This is an example that the video clip portrayed the JCB Land leveler crossed the asphalt road without damaging. The workers have used the outdated tyres for crossing the road for this purpose. The tacit knowledge is not recorded anywhere that they used for their own purpose.
Explicit Knowledge
Explicit Knowledge can be recorded digitally in documents, records, patents and other intellectual property artifact. Explicit knowledge can be manipulated within the digital domain, can be articulated into formal language, a computer, transmitted electronically or stored in databases, can process words, numbers, in the documents manuals.
Knowledge is that can be expressed, articulated easily in words or numbers, and can be shared through discussion or by writing it down and putting it into documents, manuals or databases. Examples might include a telephone directory, an instruction manual, or a report of research findings.