Managing knowledge for innovation

This paper describes a technique for identifying knowledge gaps in innovative firms. Gaps occur between existing knowledge and knowledge requirements and particularly occur when a firm is trying to introduce new processes or products. The authors were involved in a knowledge management project in a UK telecoms company and report on a framework that they developed that assists in examining the dimensions of knowledge gaps so that they may be bridged. This technique also allows the firm to measure the vulnerability of its knowledge bases. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.