What is tacit knowledge?

Tacit knowledge is what a person possesses and uses intuitively and automatically., but fails to articulate or communicate explicitly. corresponds to information and knowledge gained through personal experience, practice, and interaction with the environment; It is rooted in abilities, skills, and perceptions.

Within this knowledge all information and knowledge is consciously forgotten, but remains alive in the unconscious. One may not remember when or how this knowledge was obtained and it usually appears instinctively.

Tacit knowledge plays an important role in many activities and professions, as it is based on personal experience and intuition. In addition, It is essential for decision making and problem solving.

characteristics of tacit knowledge

Tacit knowledge, as explained in an article by Health Journal is who It is used intuitively and unconsciously. It consists of contextual and personal knowledge that is only gained through experience.

in your message Knowledge management: from tacit to explicitAnd Eduardo Contreras says that It is very difficult to formalize and communicate. In addition, it consists of technical and cognitive skills.

It was sociologist Michael Polanyi, in the 1960s, who coined the term when he was basing his assumptions on personal knowledge (Sanford et al2020). According to Polanyi, a valuable piece of knowledge is derived from the informal understandings and skills that precede conscious thinking. Instead of direct teachings, It is transmitted through culture and history.

This knowledge is invaluable in many areas, including art, music, sports, and intuitive decision making. Also, in all activities where personal experience and practice are paramount, such as with firefighters, police officers, pilots, or people with risky jobs. Its characteristics are as follows:

• Contextual: To a large extent, they are related to the context in which they were obtained. It can be customized and depends on individual experience and perspective.
• Automatic and intuitive: It is applied without the conscious mind. Once acquired, it becomes an intrinsic part of the way a person performs tasks or makes decisions.
• complementary: Tacit and explicit knowledge complement each other and unite to support understanding and the ability to act in different situations.
• You earn with experienceIts development is when a person interacts with his environment and gains practice in a specific area. It arises from observation, experimentation and direct learning.
• Not easily expressed: It is immanent, because it is rooted in personal skills, intuition, and experiences. Because of its implicit nature, it is often complex to encode and communicate effectively through words or explicit instructions.

Why is it difficult to communicate tacit knowledge?

Communicating this kind of knowledge is difficult because of its implicit and subjective nature.. In contrast to explicit knowledge, which can be shared through words and symbols, tacit knowledge manifests itself more in practice than in theory.

Most people have difficulties intuitively identifying and expressing acquired skills and knowledge. In addition, it is largely contextual knowledgewhich means that they depend on specific situations and further hinder their global communication.

For example, it is the case of a firefighter who instinctively decides whether or not to enter a burning building, based on general observation. It also corresponds to what is known as the “clinical eye” of some doctors.

Types of tacit knowledge and their manifestations

There are different types of intuitive knowledge. One is technical or related to specific technical skills in a particular field, such as repairing a car. There are also procedurals associated with actions and sequences for carrying out certain tasks; It could be how to ride a bike.

Those of a psychological and social nature, such as how we should behave in a formal meeting, are classified as contextual intuitive knowledge. And we are talking about perception when it is based solely on intuition, quick judgments and unconscious perceptions, and the proof of this is the presence of a “nose” for business.

This knowledge They tend to appear in various situations, especially when a quick and spontaneous response is required, or when personal skills and experience are necessary. Here are some situations where this knowledge is relevant:

• Routines and habits.
• social interactions.
• Intuitive decision making.
• Solve complex problems.
• Skilled tasks, such as playing a musical instrument, playing sports, cooking, or driving.

tacit knowledge becomes explicit, As long as it is converted into expressible information Communicate clearly and formally. Outsourcing, coding and documentation technologies work for this.

Tacit knowledge and interpersonal communication

in certain contexts, Tacit knowledge affects communication and mutual understanding. Let’s look at it in a scenario: When two co-workers are talking, they might understand each other more easily because of years of working together.

The tacit knowledge of both workers about their jobs allows them to understand the subtleties of the technical language they use in the company. This means that it is not necessary for them to explain how operational activities will be carried out or how they will perform their roles.

On the other side, When people do not have the same tacit knowledge, there may be misunderstandings. This is because assumptions, intuitions, experiences, and practical knowledge are not harmonious.

Another review scenario: If one firefighter has years of experience and the other doesn’t, perhaps the experienced person will expect certain intuitive performance or skills that the other person has not yet acquired.

In short, tacit knowledge can influence communication between people and the way they relate to each other in certain contexts. For this reason, it is important to understand that we all have different implicit knowledge, and it may interfere with our interactions with others.

Conclusion

People intuitively and automatically possess and use skills associated with a store of tacit knowledge. The method of acquiring and storing information is mediated through experience and repeated practice.

Although it is knowledge that is difficult to articulate and explain, it has a huge impact on what we do And how we deal with our environment, be it professional, social or family. Tacit knowledge is complementary to explicit knowledge and can manifest itself in decision-making, problem-solving, social interactions, routines, and habits.

We invite you to examine the abilities you have to do different things, such as riding a bike, tying your shoes or cooking. Do you think you can do them without your tacit knowledge?

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