1. ¹Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA, USA
2. ²Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

Correspondence: Mark E. Nissen, Naval Postgraduate School, 589 Dyer Road, Room 200A, Monterey, CA 93943-5000, USA. Tel: +1 831 656 3570; Fax: +1 831 656 3679; E-mail: MNissen@nps.navy.mil

Received 7 December 2006; Accepted 14 December 2007.

Abstract

In this article, we investigate empirically the theoretical split between emphases upon specialist vs trans-specialist knowledge in the organization – or more generally between exploitation and exploration – a split that divides knowledge-flow theory at present, and hence represents an important issue for knowledge management (KM). We review the relevant literature, articulate hypotheses, and employ computational experimentation to test them empirically. Our findings provide novel, insightful understanding of the factors that contribute toward understanding the relative balance between specialist vs trans-specialist knowledge in particular, and exploitation vs exploration more generally. We offer three main contributions: (1) we critique extant theory relating to the substitutability of specialist and interspecialist knowledge; (2) we offer new conceptual insight and empirical evidence concerning substitutability of these knowledge types in the organization; and (3) we demonstrate the empirical power of computational experimentation to examine KM questions of both theoretical and practical interest.