Salience of knowledge in a strategic theory of the firm

Sustained competitive advantage has become problematic because of turbulent environments. Thus, a strategist’s theory of the firm ought to focus on a theory of sustained competitive advantage. Clarifies the concept of turbulent environment faced by modern organizations. Argues that knowledge serves as an important source of sustained competitive advantage in turbulent environments. Viewing organizations as knowledge stocks poses questions of how to design organizations for knowledge management. Constitutional theories of the nation‐state are useful in this regard. Concludes with some preliminary thoughts on how the central concepts in constitutional theory can facilitate organizational design for knowledge management.

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