Developing Organizational Narrations - a New Dimension in Knowledge Management

In this paper we discuss the role organizational narrations can play in the field of knowledge management and develop a model on qualifying and evaluating narrations. As a necessary prerequisite we first clarify the epistemological nature of narrative knowledge opposed to discursive knowledge by referring to a distinction drawn by the French philosopher Lyotard. Narrative knowledge is characterized as a kind of verbal life-world knowledge that is non-reflexive in character by contrast to discursive knowledge which is based on sound reasons and therefore reflexive in nature. Building on this clarification we develop a three-step-model designed to qualify narrations and to develop narrative knowledge from narrations. The model suggests to examine the transferability of narrations within and across contexts (first and second step), and its validity and applicability in broader contexts (third step). Finally, the practical importance of developing narrations will be illustrated by examples from Shell International Exploration and Production.