Systems Intelligence and Organizational Knowledge Creation

Since we live immersed in organizational systems, understanding the set of competencies that are required for individuals to behave successfully in such systems is of primordial importance. The concept of systems intelligence (SI), developed in the field of systems thinking, puts forth a set of competencies in such settings. The relationship between SI and knowledge management has already been discussed conceptually in a previous study, particularly in the context of the SECI model, a well-known framework of organizational knowledge creation (KC). The present study is the first attempt to provide empirical evidence on the relationship between these two constructs, namely SI and KC. By means of a questionnaire survey using established scales, we collected data from employees of various organizations. We then investigated statistically how each SI competency can affect each KC process. The results show that, among several SI competencies, both a spirit of discovery and positive engagement have the most predominant influence on diverse KC activities in organizations. These findings could be helpful for managers to design mechanisms to involve people in KC activities in their groups or organizations.