Organisations, complexity, and viable knowledge management

Organisations experience complex situations that affect their ability to survive in the longer term. Complex situations are full of uncertainty and lack of knowledge and clarity. It is through the manifestation of information and the creation of knowledge that complexity can be addressed, thus affording organisations the possibility of greater viability. Information is manifested through structured methods of inquiry, and in the systems domain there has been a great deal of exploration into methods that create information. However, methodological exploration into the creation of knowledge is less well developed. One knowledge creation cycle by Nonaka and Takeuchi operates a constructivist process through a positivist structure. A different critical approach for knowledge creation comes from viable systems that are not susceptible to this schizophrenia.