SECIModell

SECIModell, or SECI-Modell, is a knowledge-creation theory developed by Ikujiro Nonaka and Hirotaka Takeuchi. It explains how organizational knowledge emerges and evolves through dynamic interactions between tacit and explicit knowledge, organized into four modes of knowledge conversion that form a spiral of learning and innovation.

The four conversion processes are Socialization (tacit knowledge to tacit), Externalization (tacit to explicit), Combination (explicit to explicit), and Internalization (explicit to tacit). Tacit knowledge is personal, context-specific know-how that is difficult to articulate, while explicit knowledge is codified information that can be written, stored, and transmitted. In the SECI model, knowledge creation occurs as individuals and groups move between these modes, sharing experiences, articulating insights, combining documents and theories, and applying new concepts in practice.

The model emphasizes social interaction, language, and shared practices as essential drivers of learning. Socialization occurs through shared experiences and observation; Externalization uses metaphors and models to articulate tacit understandings; Combination aggregates and systematizes explicit knowledge; Internalization embeds explicit knowledge into tacit know-how through application and practice.

Origin and influence: the model was introduced in the 1990s by Nonaka and Takeuchi and has become a foundational concept in knowledge management and organizational learning. It has influenced the design of knowledge strategies, communities of practice, and training programs, aiming to foster continuous knowledge creation in organizations.

Criticisms include concerns about its vagueness, cultural assumptions, and challenges in operationalizing the four stages or measuring progress. Despite limitations, the SECI-Modell remains widely cited and used as a framework to understand how knowledge is created, shared, and applied within organizations.