Dynamics of Knowledge Integration

Knowledge Integration (KI) means solving the problem created by specialization. Contemporary firms specialize as per their knowledge base. Specialized firms engage in formation of business networks, to enhance value-offering to customers. However, despite the fact that authors have stressed upon the need to developing understanding and models of KI in a business network, very few studies have appeared till date and none of them have studied the process. Hence, the aim of this research is to study the process of KI in a business network. A large business network consisting of 9 actors was selected for the study, for a period of 9 months. Some interesting findings have resulted from this study, firstly that the type of knowledge becomes an important criterion for KI to happen among the actors. Secondly, the process of KI in a business network depends on the objective for which the business network has been formed. Thirdly, trust, task, and dependency play an important role. The uniqueness of the study lies in the fact that a new classification of knowledge is more appropriate for the study of business networks, thus generating an alternate model of KI which is much closer to reality