in ways that ultimately influence the entire industry. Network
structures like this are intended to maximize knowledge flows
among organizations. Such links can improve the organization’s
understanding of problems that lie beyond its own boundaries as
well as motivate other members in the network to share knowledge
and expertise to find creative solutions.
Substantial research supports the view of diversity as a valuable
resource. As anyone who works in a diverse team knows, however,
creativity and learning do not always come easily for diverse teams.
Interpersonal conflicts, slower decision making, and greater
turnover of team members are among the costs of team diversity,
and this is true regardless of the source of diversity (differences in
functional expertise, industry experience, age, tenure, ethnicity,
gender, and so on).^4
When team members share too little common ground, the
team may be unable to use its diversity effectively—not because the
members lack basic competencies or because they are unmotivated
but because effective communication is too difficult. Fortunately,
communication problems, whether related to diversity or not,
can be managed by using an agreed format and questions and
by having clear roles depending on the meeting’s level of impor-
tance. Having preestablished roles such as note taker, synthesizer,
and knowledge integrator along with subject matter expert and
facilitator may further reduce communication issues and foster
knowledge sharing.
ConclusionFor many companies, knowledge management will be another fad
that comes and goes. However, a few companies will understand
that innovation and continuous learning are capabilities that are
necessary for their success in the twenty-first century. These
companies will continue to invest in finding new ways to synthe-
size, share, and leverage knowledge to support creativity and learn-
ing. They will experiment and continuously fine-tune myriad
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