Initiating, challenging and improving knowledge in organizational contexts

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how organizational knowledge interacts with artifacts and what determinants, driving processes and outcomes govern these interactions in organizational contexts. Design/methodology/approach: A case study is used and data collected is from a US engineering and consulting company. Findings: Findings suggested three major driving processes specifically initiating, challenging and improving and several related determinants and outcomes that governed the interaction between organizational knowledge and artifacts over time. Research limitations/implications: This study has limitations related to the nature and dimension of the case selected. Practical implications: This study provides a means to explain how organizations hold existing knowledge and what determinants, driving processes and outcomes govern the interactions between knowledge and artifacts to assist managerial practices and improve performance. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the current debate on organizational knowledge and provides some empirical evidence of how knowledge interacts with artifacts in organizational contexts.