From Belief to Knowledge: Achieving and Sustaining an Adaptive Culture in Organizations

256 Pages·2010·2.03 MB·English

by  Neil Douglas

“From Belief to Knowledge is a timely contribution to a key debate within the
organizational studies literature: what is the role of knowledge in change pro-
cesses within modern and complex organizations? While leaders proceed in
their leadership of organizations in the belief that they have a body of knowl-
edge that they draw upon as they lead, it is oἀen the case that their knowl-
edge is essentially a series of assumptions or beliefs and these determine the
decisions they make and the actions they pursue. This book puts forward
the proposition that how we form the beliefs we hold significantly influ-
ences what we believe and is the key process in shaping our personal anchors
in knowledge that informs our actions. This well-written, thoughtful, and
thought provoking book will challenge leaders to consider the fundamental
differences between belief and knowledge. It provides a novel contribution in
its integrative analysis of the issue of learning and change in organizations.
It offers leaders and scholars of change a considered opportunity to explore
the transitions along the continuum from belief to knowledge that can lead
to sustainable change.”
Sue Dopson, PhD
Rhodes Trust Professor of Organisational Behaviour
Director of Research Degrees
Said Business School
University of Oxford
“Organizational learning has been defined in various ways. Some of these
definitions and designs for implementation have been elegant; some have
been simplistic, yet none seem to have had a lasting impact. Douglas and
Wykowski in From Belief to Knowledge address organizational learning
as an integrated system where knowledge provides the linkage to adapt to
changing environments all the while delivering improved performance.
They answer the question that lingers in the minds of many managers:
what does organizational learning mean and how does it influence ongoing
organizational success? I expect this book to be highly influential.”
Lee Newick
General Manager, Contracting and Procurement
Global Manufacturing
Shell Downstream
“From Belief to Knowledge represents a paradigm shiἀ in understanding
knowledge and has added significantly to critical thinking. This book has
the potential to shiἀ thinking from firmly held assumptions and beliefs to
real knowledge when readers have the courage and motivation to confront
their beliefs in the search for truth. Douglas and Wykowski challenge us to
become conscious of our own beliefs and how we form them, which affect
all our actions. Although this book is geared to organizational change, it
has the potential to change all areas of human endeavor. My understanding
of culture and culture change has been greatly enhanced by this thorough
scholarship and practical application to knowledge.”
David Julian Hodges, PhD
Professor of Anthropology
Hunter College of the City University of New York
“If you accept, as I do, that in a knowledge economy, the successful orga-
nizations are those that continuously invest in their knowledge produc-
ing capability, then this book provides valuable insights for thought and
action. Uniquely, they make the case for the growth of knowledge as a
defining characteristic of culture in contrast to the treatment of knowl-
edge as one asset among many. Douglas and Wykowski drill down into
theories of knowledge and, importantly, of knowing, to argue that mul-
tiple approaches to knowledge capability-building are required. They seek
to translate these arguments into practice and then address what sort of
leadership and human interaction are required.”
Michael Earl
Emeritus Professor of Information Management
University of Oxford
From
Belief to
Knowledge
Achieving and Sustaining
an Adaptive Culture
in Organizations

From
Belief to
Knowledge
Achieving and Sustaining
an Adaptive Culture
in Organizations
Neil Douglas
Terry Wykowski
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
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Library of Congress Cataloging‑in‑Publication Data
Douglas, Neil, 1962-
From belief to knowledge : achieving and sustaining an adaptive culture in
organizations / Neil Douglas, Terry Wykowski.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4398-3734-4 (hardcover : alk. paper)
1. Organizational learning. 2. Organizational change. I. Wykowski, Terry. II. Title.
HD58.82.D683 2011
658.4’038--dc22 2010026472
Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at
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To our families, friends, and colleagues
who believed in and supported us

Contents
Preface .................................................................................................xiii
The Authors ........................................................................................xvii
Chapter 1 Introduction .......................................................................1
Belief, Knowledge and the Consequences of Human
Endeavor .......................................................................................4
Organizations .............................................................................10
Rationale and Structure of This Book ....................................16
References ..................................................................................20
SECtIoN I Foundations
Chapter 2 What Does It Mean to Know? .........................................23
Anticipatory Summary .............................................................23
What Does It Mean to Know? .................................................24
The “Standard Analysis” of Knowledge .................................25
Belief .......................................................................................27
Truth .......................................................................................29
Justification ...........................................................................34
Challenges to the Standard Analysis ......................................36
Skepticism ..............................................................................37
Relativism ..............................................................................38
The Gettier Problem .............................................................39
Naturalized Epistemology ..................................................40
References ..................................................................................43
Chapter 3 Reality and Knowing .......................................................45
Anticipatory Summary .............................................................45
Reality and Knowing ...............................................................46
Multiple Realities ......................................................................48
The Realities of Everyday Life .............................................49
ix