Law #1: Knowledge sharing is a key to economic survival

In the new knowledge economy, knowledge sharing is increasingly seen as the sine qua non to survival. Traditional hierarchical organizations cannot cope with fast-changing client demands unless they are able to agilely share knowledge among employees, partners, and clients. Innovations and the creation of new e-business lines depends on communal rather than individual knowledge. The knowledge of the community is always larger than the individual’s. Capturing what is already known by someone else in the group and adding one’s own knowledge is often faster and more efficient than an individual reinventing a solution. This requires that organizations develop knowledge sharing culture and processes. In this situation, knowledge sharing is not merely an alternative strategic option: knowledge sharing is required for organizational survival.

Co-authors: Michel Pommier, Lesley Shneier, Stephen Denning