Published Papers, Tacit Competencies and Corporate Management of the Public/Private Character of Knowledge

Abstract

This paper focuses on the movement of scientific and technological knowledge. It explores companies' reasons for publishing in the scientific and technical literature; reasons that turn on the need to link with other research organizations. The analysis begins by establishing that firms do indeed publish. Such publishing mediates links with other organizations, serving to signal the presence of tacit knowledge and to build the technical reputation necessary to engage in the barter-governed exchange of scientific and technical knowledge. Similar processes are seen in other areas of technical knowledge exchange.