The growing complexity of sustainability-related decision-making increasingly requires the integration of knowledge generated across distinct scientific, technical and organizational domains. In this context, the concept of knowledge ecology offers a useful perspective for examining how heterogeneous forms of knowledge coexist, interact and evolve within interconnected systems of actors, practices and technological infrastructures. Knowledge concerning products, materials and production systems is rarely produced within a single disciplinary or professional context; rather, it emerges through distributed processes involving different forms of expertise, evaluative criteria and modes of representation. The analytical challenge is to understand how different knowledge domains can be connected, interpreted and used effectively to support collective action (Latino et al., 2025).

This Special Track examines these dynamics with particular attention to the translation and recombination of knowledge across disciplinary, practical and organizational boundaries. Sustainability-related information often originates in highly specialized contexts and must be transformed before using it for coordination and decision-making. Environmental performance, resource efficiency, circularity and traceability can therefore be understood not only as technical issues, but also as knowledge-intensive organizational challenges (Menegoli et al., 2026).

Organizations constitute a key setting in which these processes take place. Specialized knowledge must move across functions and professional communities while preserving its scientific reliability and acquiring operational relevance. Organizational routines, coordination mechanisms and inter-organizational relationships become central in this process, as they shape how knowledge is exchanged, interpreted and incorporated into action.

Artificial intelligence and digital technologies further reshape these dynamics by changing how knowledge is generated, processed and validated. Their role is not limited to expanding access to information, but also affects the relationship between codified knowledge, expert judgement and organizational interpretation. This raises new questions about the reliability, governance and practical use of knowledge in increasingly data-intensive environments (Neri et al., 2025).

In line with the IFKAD 2027 theme “The Ecology of Knowledge in the AI Era”, the Special Track invites contributions that investigate how knowledge is translated and recombined within organizational contexts and how these processes support more sustainable products, production systems and value chains. Particular interest is given to the conditions that allow heterogeneous knowledge to remain scientifically robust while becoming actionable for organizations. The track welcomes theoretical, empirical and practice-oriented contributions at the intersection of knowledge management, organization studies, sustainability and commodity sciences.