Uncovering Tacit Knowledge: A Pilot Study to Broaden the Concept of Knowledge in Knowledge Translation
Uncovering Tacit Knowledge: A Pilot Study to Broaden the Concept of Knowledge in Knowledge Translation
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DOI：
10.1186/1472-6963-11-198
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发表时间：
2011-08-18
影响因子：
2.8
通讯作者：
Meyer, Mechthild
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Kothari, Anita R.;Bickford, Julia J.;Meyer, Mechthild
背景：卫生保健的所有部门都被要求关注知识到实践的差距，或知识转化，以提高服务效率。知识转化的社会互动方法假设研究证据与先前持有的知识相结合，实践者通过相互互动建立和共同创造知识。公共卫生的知识转化战略没有在循证实践中带来预期的积极变化，部分原因可能是对知识的狭隘概念化。需要做更多的工作来理解默会知识在决策和实践中的作用。这项初步研究考察了卫生从业者如何将默会知识应用于公共卫生项目的规划和实施。方法：本研究采用叙述性方法，从加拿大安大略省的两个公共卫生单位方便地选择团队。受访者在每个地点参加了个别访谈和焦点小组。问题的设计是为了理解默会知识在计划规划过程中的作用。通过内容分析和主题比较相结合的方法对数据进行分析。结果：调查结果突出了知识产生的两个主要方面：隐性知识的使用和隐性知识与显性知识的整合。隐性知识包括：过去的经验、组织特有的知识、社区背景知识以及对他人隐性知识的认可。明确的知识包括：研究文献、互联网、流行杂志、正式评估(调查和访谈)、立法和法规。参与者在计划中有时会刻意将隐性和显性知识来源结合起来。结论：本试点展示了一线公共卫生工作者在日常生活现实中既利用了隐性知识，也利用了显性知识。此外，隐性知识在实践者对显性研究结果的解释和实施中发挥着重要作用。这表明有必要扩大知识翻译的范围，将通过研究获得的显性知识以外的其他形式的知识包括在内。承认和支持使用默示知识的战略，如实践社区或网络，可能是知识转化综合办法的重要组成部分。这项研究为进一步研究默会知识在规划和提供有效公共卫生服务中的作用提供了支持。
Background: All sectors in health care are being asked to focus on the knowledge-to-practice gap, or knowledge translation, to increase service effectiveness. A social interaction approach to knowledge translation assumes that research evidence becomes integrated with previously held knowledge, and practitioners build on and co-create knowledge through mutual interactions. Knowledge translation strategies for public health have not provided anticipated positive changes in evidence-based practice, possibly due in part to a narrow conceptualization of knowledge. More work is needed to understand the role of tacit knowledge in decision-making and practice. This pilot study examined how health practitioners applied tacit knowledge in public health program planning and implementation.Methods: This study used a narrative approach, where teams from two public health units in Ontario, Canada were conveniently selected. Respondents participated in individual interviews and focus groups at each site. Questions were designed to understand the role of tacit knowledge as it related to the program planning process. Data were analyzed through a combination of content analysis and thematic comparison.Results: The findings highlighted two major aspects of knowledge that arose: the use of tacit knowledge and the integration of tacit and explicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge included: past experiences, organization-specific knowledge, community contextual knowledge, and the recognition of the tacit knowledge of others. Explicit knowledge included: research literature, the Internet, popular magazines, formal assessments (surveys and interviews), legislation and regulations. Participants sometimes deliberately combined tacit and explicit knowledge sources in planning.Conclusions: This pilot demonstrated that front-line public health workers draw upon both tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge in their everyday lived reality. Further, tacit knowledge plays an important role in practitioners' interpretation and implementation of explicit research findings. This indicates a need to broaden the scope of knowledge translation to include other forms of knowledge beyond explicit knowledge acquired through research. Strategies that recognize and support the use of tacit knowledge, such as communities of practice or networks, may be important components of a comprehensive approach to knowledge translation. This study provides support for further investigation of the role of tacit knowledge in the planning and delivery of effective public health services.