Boisot I-Space Model
The Boisot I-Space KM model is a knowledge management framework developed by the British scholar Max Henri Boisot. It is based on the premise that knowledge is created and shared within a social context, and that understanding the dynamics of this context is essential for effective knowledge management. The I-Space model consists of four dimensions:
- Public knowledge: Textbooks and newspapers, which is codified and diffused.
- Proprietary knowledge: Patents and official secrets, which is codified but not diffused.
- Personal knowledge: Biographical knowledge, which is neither codified nor diffused.
- Common sense: What ‘everybody knows’, which is not codified but widely diffused.
The I-Space model proposes that knowledge can be managed by aligning it with the appropriate dimensions of codification, abstraction, diffusion, and contextualization. For example, knowledge that is highly abstract and difficult to codify may be best shared through face-to-face interactions within a tightly-knit community of practice. On the other hand, knowledge that is highly codified and universal may be best shared through online platforms that can reach a broad audience.
Overall, the Boisot I-Space KM model emphasizes the importance of understanding the social context in which knowledge is created and shared, and provides a useful framework for managing knowledge within different organizational contexts.
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