An assessment of knowledge growth stages in organizations

This paper examines the stages of knowledge growth in 50 companies through a qualitative research study that asked employees to identify where their organization ranks along Bohn's eight-stage scale ranging from complete ignorance to complete knowledge. Participants were also asked to identify their competitors' ranking and the ideal stage of knowledge to which their company should strive. The results found that companies today rank on the Bohn scale between stage three (the measure stage) where knowledge is typically written and stage four (control of the mean) where knowledge is written and embodied in hardware. Respondents also stated that their companies were perceived as usually slightly ahead of their competitors, but not nearly at the ideal level that they believe their organizations should achieve. Recommendations are made for further qualitative and empirical research regarding the stages of knowledge growth at organizations, and how organizations can support movement toward complete knowledge.