This track explores the critical link between corporate knowledge assets, dynamic capabilities and the indispensable role of digital and managerial/organisational tools in managing the knowledge creation process within organisations.
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, effective knowledge management strategies have become a cornerstone of success for organisations across all industries. This is especially true for knowledge-based firms, which rely heavily on the strategic use of new knowledge information from outside the firm’s boundaries and the internal stock of knowledge that forms the basis of the firm’s expertise (Garcia-Perez et al., 2021).
Dynamic capabilities allow firms not only to acquire and integrate knowledge from different sources, but also to apply and exploit it for competitive advantage (Bykova & Jardon, 2018). Previous literature shows that dynamic capabilities are instrumental in managing knowledge and transforming it into valuable knowledge assets (Shang & Lin, 2010; Gooderham, 2007) – classified into human, relational and structural assets (Castro et al., 2013; Lerro & Schiuma, 2011). However, the successful implementation of a knowledge creation process, combining both internal and external resources, and the enhancement of knowledge assets through dynamic capabilities depends on the support provided by digital, managerial, and organisational tools. Indeed, these tools act as facilitators both in managing the inflow of knowledge from different sources and in ensuring its transformation into knowledge assets. For instance, digital tools such as cloud computing, Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and blockchain have been investigated as facilitators in the knowledge creation process. They handle the influx of knowledge from external sources, managing it through absorptive capacity (Neirotti et al., 2021; Santoro et al., 2018), which is a well-established dynamic capability of firms (Zahra & George, 2002). Furthermore, digital tools play a pivotal role in leveraging the collective knowledge, expertise, and experience stored within a firm’s knowledge assets for value creation (Malafsky, 2003).
Additionally, managerial and organizational tools, including internal firm routines, practices, incentives, specialization, formalization, and decentralization, are crucial in the knowledge creation process. They create an environment conducive to knowledge sharing and foster various forms of learning (Lazzarotti et al., 2015), while effectively nurturing knowledge assets (Schmitt, 2019; Erickson & Rothberg, 2014; Leiponen & Helfat, 2011).
Therefore, digital, managerial and organisational tools play a pivotal role in moderating the intricate relationships between knowledge, dynamic capabilities and knowledge assets and the entire knowledge creation process.
In this track we are looking for contributions that examine these multifaceted relationships from a qualitative and quantitative perspective. By seeking both empirical analysis and case studies, the track aims to provide valuable insights into how organisations can harness the full potential of their knowledge assets. By shedding light on the “how much” and “how” dimensions of these interactions, this track will contribute to a deeper understanding of knowledge management strategies in the contemporary business context, especially for knowledge-intensive organisations.

Zeila Occhipinti, University of Pisa, Italy
Salvatore Tallarico, University of Pisa, Italy