Knowledge Creation, Diffusion, and Utilization: Perspectives of the Founding Editor of Knowledge

In: Knowledge, Band 12, Heft 3, S. 319-337

Abstract

This article provides an assessment of the fields of knowledge creation, diffusion, and utilization from the perspective of the founding editor of this journal. Where are researchers in the development of this area of inquiry? What are some of the critical agenda items for the future ? The article argues that the field faces the following issues: a crisis of legitimacy, a lack of theory development, problems in measurement of the phenomena being explored, and stalled develop ment in terms of posing challenging questions. The article concludes that there is an open agenda in the fields of knowledge creation, diffusion, and utilization. Once some closure is reached on the measurement issues, then it should be possible to advance a systematic theory of knowledge production and utilization. Unfortunately, the field has not been characterized by studies that consciously build other. Instead, the "wheel" has been reinvented on many different occasions.