Francesca Mariotti

Filling knowledge gaps: knowledge sharing across inter-firm boundaries and occupational communities

This paper explores the micro-level processes of interaction across organisational boundaries and occupational communities. Based on a retrospective processual analysis, this study shows that in filling knowledge gaps, organisations put in place a series of knowledge mechanisms, which lead them to socially interact with their alliance partners. Both the deployment of existing knowledge and the creation of new knowledge are based on processes of interaction, which derive from the interplay between alliance actors. It is suggested that through both social interaction and the use of boundary objects, individuals are able to communicate, engage in problem-solving activities and share their ideas to fill knowledge gaps.

Creating Knowledge and Overcoming Redundancy in Networks: Beyond the Strong/Weak Tie Dichotomy

This paper builds on Granovetters distinction between strong and weak ties and responds to recent calls for a more dynamic, processual and thus comprehensive understanding of knowledge transfer in networks with regard to both the nature of the ties that link firms to novel sources of knowledge and the ability to mobilize around these new ideas. The concepts of potential and latent tie are introduced in order to consider how new ties develop and relationships decay. The findings of an empirical study conducted with companies operating in the British and Italian motorsport industries reveal that firms seek out potential new ties and reactivate latent ties in order to solve problems, address perceived knowledge deficiencies and create new knowledge. These conceptual and empirical insights move understanding of the managerial challenge of building effective networks beyond static structural contingency models of optimal network forms to highlight the processes and capabilities of dynamic relationship building and network development.