Managing the Standardization Knowledge Codification Paradox

International audienceIn a connected society and organizations working with digitized business models, standards will have more important roles than ever in shaping activity systems content, structure, and governance. While the standardization conformity/innovation duality has received great attention in literature, little research has been done on the role of managers in managing the tensions of knowledge codification required during ISO 9001 standard implementation. By utilizing Danone's Networking Attitude experience as a case study, the authors address this gap by exploring how managerial skills and practices were used to overcome the cognitive and emotional tensions related to internal knowledge codification, transfer, and use. The main contribution is to elucidate the role of managers in resolving these paradoxes and creating innovation capabilities. Further, they demonstrate the mutually beneficial relationship between knowledge codification and innovation if knowledge management is approached more as an evolving pragmatic knowing than a technical means that may create rigidity and resistance

Analysis of ISO 9001 Paradox of Knowledge Codification Using the Activity System Model

International audienceThis article analyses the ISO 9001 standard as a generic management tool grounded on three interdependent elements: an artefact of abstract requirements to implement (ostensive routines); a management philosophy that instruments its implementation; and a simplified vision of the organization's relations and knowledge (performative routines). Its two functions are paradoxically oriented to exploitation of codified good practices and to exploration of new knowledge to innovate, create tensions during its implementation in the organization. By applying the activity system model on the French multinational food Groupe (Danone), this research analyses the tensions, learning and innovation outcomes that emerge during the implementation of the knowledge codification requirement in the company. The objective of this article is to illustrate how Danone used the paradox of knowledge codification to create distinctive innovations. It argues that the management of paradoxes depends on the manager's philosophy and competencies to manage cognitive and emotional tensions in organizations