kunnskapskultur

Kunnskapskultur, commonly described in English as knowledge culture, denotes the set of shared values, norms, and practices that shape how knowledge is created, shared, stored, and used within an organization or society. It includes both tacit knowledge—experience, know-how, and judgment—and explicit knowledge such as documents, data, and procedures. A strong kunnskapskultur emphasizes learning, curiosity, and collaborative problem solving.

Key components include psychological safety that encourages asking questions and admitting uncertainty; leadership commitment to knowledge sharing; formal and informal channels for communication; communities of practice; and technology and processes for codifying and transferring knowledge, such as repositories, search tools, and after-action reviews. Incentives and governance structures also influence whether people share or hoard knowledge.

This concept is central to knowledge management and the idea of learning organizations. The SECI model (Socialization, Externalization, Combination, Internalization) is often used to describe how tacit and explicit knowledge transform and move through an organization, reinforcing a culture that values evidence, reflection, and cross-functional learning.

Benefits of a strong kunnskapskultur include faster and more informed decision making, increased innovation, smoother onboarding, and greater resilience in changing environments. It can reduce redundant work, improve quality, and retain critical know-how when staff turnover occurs.

Challenges include silos, information hoarding, time pressures, and misaligned incentives. Building a healthy kunnskapskultur requires intentional leadership, safe and collaborative work practices, well-designed knowledge tools, and policies that reward knowledge sharing rather than merely individual performance.