---
title: Tacit and explicit knowledge
summary: A foundational knowledge classification that distinguishes hard-to-articulate personal know-how from codified, communicable knowledge.
sources:
  - knowledge-management.md
createdAt: "2026-04-18T11:22:41.039Z"
updatedAt: "2026-04-18T11:22:41.039Z"
tags:
  - knowledge-management
  - knowledge-types
  - tacit-knowledge
  - explicit-knowledge
aliases:
  - tacit-and-explicit-knowledge
  - explicit knowledge and Tacit
  - TAEK
---

# Tacit and explicit knowledge

**Tacit and explicit knowledge** are two commonly used categories for distinguishing forms of knowledge within [[knowledge management]]. In one widely cited framework, tacit knowledge refers to internalised knowledge that an individual may not be consciously aware of, such as the knowledge involved in accomplishing particular tasks. Explicit knowledge, by contrast, is knowledge held consciously in mental focus and in a form that can be communicated more easily to others. ^[knowledge-management.md]

This distinction is used as part of broader efforts to classify different “types of” knowledge in organizations. Within [[Knowledge management]], it helps explain why some knowledge is easy to document, store, and transfer, while other knowledge remains closely tied to individual experience and practice. ^[knowledge-management.md]

## Tacit knowledge

Tacit knowledge is internalised and may operate below conscious awareness. It is often associated with practical accomplishment and know-how rather than with fully articulated descriptions. In [[Knowledge management]] discussions, tacit knowledge is also linked to direct human interaction and to forms of sharing that are difficult to reduce to documents alone. ^[knowledge-management.md]

Because tacit knowledge is difficult to articulate, organizations have often used social and practice-based methods to transfer it. Examples mentioned in [[Knowledge management]] include [[storytelling]], mentoring, master–apprentice relationships, and job shadowing. ^[knowledge-management.md]

## Explicit knowledge

Explicit knowledge is knowledge a person can hold consciously and communicate relatively easily. In strategic [[Knowledge management]], data and information can be treated as explicit forms of knowledge, in contrast to know-how, which is treated as tacit. ^[knowledge-management.md]

Explicit knowledge is especially important in codification-oriented approaches to [[knowledge management]], where knowledge is encoded into shared repositories such as databases and other document-centered systems. These approaches rely on information infrastructure to store and make codified knowledge accessible across the organization. ^[knowledge-management.md]

## Relationship between tacit and explicit knowledge

A major idea in [[Knowledge management]] is that tacit and explicit knowledge interact rather than exist as wholly separate domains. Ikujiro Nonaka’s [[SECI model]] describes a spiraling interaction between the two, in which tacit knowledge is externalised into explicit form and explicit knowledge is later internalised again. ^[knowledge-management.md]

Early [[Knowledge management]] research often assumed that effective [[Knowledge management]] required converting tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge so it could be shared, while also enabling individuals to internalise codified knowledge and make it meaningful in practice. This view helped shape systems and processes for knowledge capture, sharing, and reuse. ^[knowledge-management.md]

## Debate and criticism

Later research argued that the distinction between tacit and explicit knowledge can be an oversimplification. One criticism is that so-called explicit knowledge is better understood as information expressed through symbols outside the mind; in this view, knowledge itself is not simply made explicit without translation. Nonaka and collaborators later revisited earlier work in an effort to advance the debate on knowledge conversion. ^[knowledge-management.md]

Related debates also distinguish between a **content perspective** and a **relational perspective** on knowledge. The content perspective treats knowledge as something that can be codified and stored relatively easily, whereas the relational perspective emphasizes that knowledge is contextual and relational, which can make it difficult to share outside the setting where it was developed. ^[knowledge-management.md]

## Importance in [[Knowledge management]]

The tacit/explicit distinction strongly influences [[Knowledge management]] strategy. A **codification** strategy is system-oriented and document-centered, focusing on capturing and storing knowledge in electronic repositories. A **personalisation** strategy is human-oriented, encouraging people to share knowledge directly through networking and interaction; this approach is especially associated with tacit knowledge. ^[knowledge-management.md]

This distinction also affects organizational practices such as [[knowledge sharing]], [[knowledge retention]], and knowledge capture. For example, retention efforts may aim to reduce knowledge loss when experienced employees leave, often by helping convert important tacit knowledge into more explicit forms that can be documented or transferred. ^[knowledge-management.md]

More generally, the tacit/explicit framework helps explain why organizations combine technical systems with social practices. Repositories, databases, and collaborative software support explicit knowledge, while communities of practice, mentoring, and storytelling support the transfer of tacit knowledge. ^[knowledge-management.md]

## Related concepts

- [[Knowledge management]]
- [[Knowledge sharing]]
- [[Knowledge transfer]]
- [[SECI model]]
- [[Community of practice]]
- [[Knowledge retention]]
- [[Codification and personalization strategies]]

## Sources

- knowledge-management.md