Posted by Yogesh Malhotra on January 27, 1998 at 14:59:15:

In Reply to: Re: What Sustains the Knowledge 'Flow'? posted by Mike Barker on January 27, 1998 at 11:26:27:

Mike,

You have raised a question that I have often reflected upon over the process of the lifetime (about 4 years) of this site. In some way it relates to the distinction between 'vocation,' 'career,' and 'job' that I was reading about in the Feb-Mar '98 issue of Fast Company. Given that premise, I can relate to your question at many different levels. As an academic, researcher and consultant, I am finding this 'experience' very satisfying in what I consider as my vocation: being involved in the process of creation and dissemination of new knowledge. I also tend to believe that many other participants on this forum (and others) are attempting to do the same.

At a different level, I am trying to bring the empiricism of my theories to its most rigorous test by trying to be immersed in them: these relate to theories of information and knowledge; theories of human motivation, personal construction and social construction of knowledge; theories about virtual organizations and virtual communities, etc. Some of the related works on these issues are listed in my research program at: http://www.brint.com/more.html. Again, based on the constructivist view of 'humans as scientists,' I tend to consider that many other participants on this forum (and others) are also delving into similar or related issues. All of us are involved in 'sense making' at various levels... we are trying to make sense of the issues that relate to our interests, passions, lives, work, etc.

At another level, we are trying to find 'meaning' (cf: as it is referred to in the Fast Company stories mentioned above) in the process. Most of our reasons and purposes are built around this process as justifications for what we like to, or want to do, to feel 'satisfied.'

In the process of answering your questions, perhaps, I am becoming more aware of the 'tacit knowledge' that I have by virtue of prior experiences, study, thinking, etc. while I am attempting to verbalize it in forms of my responses. It may also be possible that I am so immersed in the process that it may seem 'quite natural' to me.

- Yogesh

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Follow Ups:

• Re: Is Your Job Calling: Vocations, Careers & Jobs Yogesh Malhotra 14:49:28 1/30/98 (0)
• Re: What Sustains the Knowledge 'Flow'? Mike Barker 10:58:31 1/30/98 (6)
  • Re: What Sustains the Knowledge 'Flow'? Tom Sudman 12:36:20 1/30/98 (5)
    • Re: What Sustains the Knowledge 'Flow'? Yogesh Malhotra 14:33:48 1/30/98 (4)
      • Re: On Peter's Polka and Fundamental Assumptions Yogesh Malhotra 00:57:29 1/31/98 (0)
      • Re: What Sustains the Knowledge 'Flow'? Tom Sudman 19:19:39 1/30/98 (2)
        • Re: What Sustains the Knowledge 'Flow'? Yogesh Malhotra 01:00:07 1/31/98 (1)
          • Re: What Sustains the Knowledge 'Flow'? Tom Sudman 18:57:14 2/02/98 (0)

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