Establishing learning places and knowledge flows to stimulate innovation

Knowledge is seen as a source of competitive advantage, but how can it be mobilized to realize this advantage? Organization norms and routines both reflect what an organization “knows” and may stimulate or inhibit knowledge flows. Tools may help store and share explicit knowledge, but it is only through personal interaction that the wealth of continuously expanding tacit knowledge potentially available to an enterprise can be accessed. This chapter suggests that physical and virtual places for interaction combined with HRM practices can facilitate building and sharing stocks of knowledge to support the business of the enterprise. A case study example of interconnected learning spaces and strategically deployed people specifically established to support innovation is presented.