Organizational design for knowledge exchange : the Hau-Ba model

Knowledge transfer, especially its intrinsic nature, is central to research. A key concept for such inquiry has been ba (Japanese roughly meaning “place” in English), which in terms of knowledge transfer can be thought of as a shared space for knowledge creation. As defined by Nonaka and Konno (Calif Manag Rev, 40(3):40–54, 1998), ba underscores the importance of achieving dynamic interaction, but they do not analytically explain the modalities involved. The authors of this chapter outline an analytical framework for comprehending the sequence of knowledge transfer between members of professional communities and ask whether a system of global organizational knowledge exchange exists. This new topic in knowledge management raises the issue of organizational design and governance, with knowledge management possibly requiring the ability to provide appropriate spaces and animate communities of actors joined by a common spirit and identity. To link these dimensions, the authors develop a theoretical model, the hau-ba theory (Bounfour, Systèmes d’Information et Manag, 5(2):12–40, 2000; Connaissance, reconnaissance et “communautalisme” [Knowledge, recognition and “communautalism”]. In: Bounfour A (ed) Capital immatériel, connaissance et performance. L’Harmattan, Paris, pp 167–194, 2006), and explore its application to the foundry of a large aluminum company