KNOWLEDGE LIFE CYCLE AND ITS APPLICATION IN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

Knowledge management (KM) is attracting considerable attention as many organizations realize that they compete in a knowledge economy. Therefore, a key source of sustainable competitive advantage relies on managing knowledge. The vast majority of the existing frameworks in KM efforts focus on knowledge processes that takes place during the so-called “knowledge life-cycle” (KLC). Analysis of knowledge flow should always cover the entire life cycle of knowledge, from its formation, through saving and using, to its end. Companies that want to develop and use knowledge most effectively and profitably should begin to treat it differently according to the stages of the knowledge life-cycle. The purpose of this paper is to compare main concepts of the knowledge life cycle and to introduce a possibility of analyzing knowledge flow in practice, particularly in the automotive industry. The first section introduces knowledge management in organizations. Thereafter, a list of main concepts of knowledge life cycle is presented. Most of the concepts are similar and describe KLC as a process that consists of several stages in hierarchical order. Authors usually add particular steps that differ from others, such as individual and group learning from knowledge, obtaining value from knowledge, or knowledge disposal at the end of the process. Although KLC models have already been usefully developed as a tool for thinking about products and technology, a case study presenting knowledge flow during all stages of life cycle in automobile industry is missing. Therefore, the potential of analyzing knowledge flow in automotive industry is outlined as this field is the subject of author's research. The final section summarizes important contributions and insights for future research.