Concept maps as a strategy to convert knowledge in knowledge management

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the applicability of using concept maps in organizations where knowledge management is the goal. Design/methodology/approach - Based on the principles stated by Nonaka and Takeuchi about knowledge creation and conversion and on the work by Novak and Gowin on concept maps, the core idea is to present the use of concept maps as a technique that facilitates, in some cases, and supports, in others, the realization of the following knowledge conversion operations: socialization, exteriorization, combination and internalization. These are the operations that, according to Nonaka and Takeuchi (1999), allow for the transformation of individual knowledge into collective knowledge and vice versa. Furthermore, it aims to answer the question of how to support the process of knowledge management in an organization through the use of a software application like CmapTools. Findings - This paper shows that knowledge evolves through various stages, with particular characteristics that need to be acknowledged in order to be managed properly. Originality/value - The technique of employing concept maps is appropriate to sponsor and facilitate the transitions among these stages of knowledge. It even allows for the preservation of the valuable knowledge of a person through the management of individual knowledge or the knowledge of a group of persons in an organization. This, in turn, promotes knowledge management in the enterprise itself.