Knowledge flows in self‐organizing processes

Purpose – This article aims to point out the essential role of knowledge flows when studying new ways of organizing in a knowledge‐intensive service sector where organizations operate in rapidly changing markets. The purpose of this article is to analyze the concept of self‐organization and its basic characteristics from a knowledge flow point‐of‐view. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual analysis and literature review are provided. Findings – The article offers a way to understand how self‐organization emerges from lower‐level or local interaction, i.e. knowledge flows. The results of earlier studies indicate that if experts working in customer interface are empowered to make independent decisions and to adjust their working according to the ongoing situation, i.e. to self‐organize, co‐operation with customers becomes more active. Originality/value – The article presents a new way of looking at self‐organization and its basic characteristics as managerial tools in knowledge‐intensive organizations. The article brings up the fundamental role of knowledge flows in a self‐organization process.