Explicit and tacit knowledge in construction of passive housing, knowledge models in Lithuania / Išreikštinės ir neišreikštinės žinios pasyviųjų namų statyboje, žinių modeliai pasaulyje ir Lietuvoje

Optimization of building maintenance expenditure becomes really an urgent issue in Lithuania. People prefer a warmer housing and show interest in recent decisions of engineering systems. They are looking for the best decision of heating costs optimization to price down heating costs not 10-20%, but a number of times. The results of passive houses scientific research as well as models of passive housing are discussed in the article. They ascertain and compare features of passive housing construction in different countries which depends on climatic conditions. Most countries support traditional housing. Remarkable thermal resistance and cost efficient maintenance of passive housing may be reached through an integrated approach of using proper architectural, constructional and engineering resolution, as well as applying the most relevant material usage and elaborating and accumulating practical knowledge. Lithuania, as well as other countries in the world, reveals that the concept of tacit knowledge still lacks sufficient attention within the construction industry, despite the fact that proper understanding and management of this resource is of immense importance for the achievement of better organizational performance. As the initial step towards the management of tacit knowledge, this paper examines the factors affecting tacit knowledge generation and utilization in the construction industry. Santrauka Lietuvoje ypač aktualus tampa pastato eksploatacinių išlaidų optimizavimas. Žmonės renkasi šiltesnį būstą, domisi naujausiais inžinerinių sistemų sprendimais. Išlaidų šildymui sumažinti ne 10–20 %, bet bent kelis kartus, ieškomas geriausias šildymo išlaidų optimizavimo būdas. Straipsnyje aptarti pasaulyje atlikti pasyvaus būsto moksliniai tyrimai, bei pasyvaus namo modeliai. Išaiškinti ir palyginti įvairių šalių pasyvių namų statybos ypatumai, priklausomai nuo klimato sąlygų. Daugelyje šalių yra palaikomos ankstesnės statybų tradicijos. Puikių pasyviojo namo šiluminės varžos ir ekonomiškumo rezultatų galima pasiekti kompleksiškai taikant optimalius architektūrinius, statybinius ir inžinerinius sprendimus, siekti geresnių medžiagų panaudojimo, tobulinti ir kaupti praktikos įgūdžius statyboje. Jei rinkos sąlygos leidžia, turimas žinias reikia struktūrinti. Pastebima, kad Lietuvoje ir pasaulyje statybos pramonės viduje išreikštinių ir neišreikštinių žinių sąvokos vis dar stokoja pakankamo dėmesio, neatsižvelgiant į tai, kad tinkamas supratimas ir turimų išteklių vadyba turi didžiulę reikšmę siekiant geresnių tendencijų projektavime, o taip pat neišreikštų žinių generavime ir panaudojime statyboje. Raktiniai žodžiai: pasyvusis būstas, išreikštinės žinios, neišreikštinės žinios, energijos taupyma

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Tacit knowledge generation and utilisation in the construction industry

The importance of knowledge as a key determinant of organisational competitiveness and better performance is increasingly appreciated by both academics and practitioners. However, the concept of tacit knowledge still lacks sufficient attention within the construction industry, despite the fact that proper understanding and management of this resource is of immense importance for the achievement of better organisational performance. As the initial step towards the management of tacit knowledge, this paper examines the factors affecting tacit knowledge generation and utilisation in the construction industry. The study integrates theories of experiential learning, cognitive science and knowledge creation, in order to articulate the process of tacit knowledge generation and utilisation. The exploratory phase of the case study identified several factors affecting tacit knowledge generation and utilisation in an organisational context in terms of Individual level: Intra-personal drivers; Group level: Inter-personal drivers; and Organisational level: Situational drivers

The role of philosophical context in the development of research methodology and theory

The research strategy dictates the major direction of the research and constitutes one of the important decisions made by the researcher. However, researchers’ understanding on theory at the outset of the research guides the design of the research. The paper presents an overview of the involvement of theory within different research philosophies, approaches and methods. The relationship between data and theory is an issue that has been long debated. Moving from data to theory is commonly discussed in social constructionism with inductive approach and ideographic methods. However, within positivism philosophy with deductive approach and nomothetic methods, moving from theory to data is common. However, the growing concept of philosophical pluralism and methodological pluralism challenges the polarised views on philosophies and approaches, which suggests that methodologies are best used in complementary way

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Valuable human and knowledge resources will be wasted unless organisations make better use of these prime resources. Construction knowledge workers and their tacit knowledge in particular is still considered to be relatively unexplored and proper understanding and management of this resource is of immense importance for better organisational performance. The paper stresses the importance of knowledge worker and tacit knowledge in construction and examines the contribution towards the company performance. Two dimensions in construction knowledge worker management are highlighted. This provides a valid basis to embrace the concept of knowledge worker and a knowledge culture at all levels within construction organisations

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Valuable human and knowledge resources will be wasted unless organisations make better use of these prime resources. Tacit knowledge in particular is still considered to be relatively unexplored and proper understanding and management of this resource is of immense importance for better organisational performance. The research addresses the importance of people factor and tacit knowledge in construction and examines the contribution towards the company performance and achievement of competitive advantage through a thorough literature review. Principle insights of dominant views on organisational resources are discussed to highlight the strategic nature of tacit knowledge. Labour and knowledge intensive nature of the construction industry is revealed and finally the importance and the significant role of people factor and tacit knowledge in construction are highlighted. This provides the basis for more empirical research on finding importance of tacit knowledge towards organisational performance in the construction industry