Using institutional knowledge to answer puzzling questions about novel challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Purpose

Article explains that institutional knowledge is crucial to the effectiveness of an organization because it enables it to reduce the time and effort needed to explore a novel challenge.

Design/methodology/approach

Article tells how to access institutional knowledge and how to foster a culture that respects it.

Findings

A supportive culture makes the sharing of institutional knowledge a normal facet of organizational functioning, thereby enabling managers to be highly effective when they have to deal with challenges and opportunities outside their normal routine.

Practical implications

When an organization is threatened by unexpected crises, senior personnel who have gone through previous disasters, can be tapped for some valuable insights into ways of handling the matter quickly and appropriately.

Originality/value

A useful “how-to” guide for integrating institutional knowledge into project management, crisis management, and novel innovation and marketing initiatives.

Citation

Narayanan, V.K. (2019), "Using institutional knowledge to answer puzzling questions about novel challenges and opportunities", Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 47 No. 6, pp. 15-23. https://doi.org/10.1108/SL-08-2019-0116