Strategic knowledge management in a digital environment: Tacit and explicit knowledge in Fab Labs

Abstract Fab Labs are places of learning through the exchange of knowledge among its members. They allow to leverage innovation using technological resources available in the space, stimulating the creativity of its participants and enabling the development of products and solutions based on personal projects from ideation, or the construction supported on knowledge developed by other elements collaboratively, enhancing the result. It'll be described how users learn with others in Fab Labs, which are laboratories of digital fabrication, serving as prototyping platforms of physical objects, with broad educational, social and economic advantages. Its users can leverage their imagination and develop sustainable, social, local, economic innovative solutions to solve real problems, supported by tacit and explicit knowledge transfer. Seven semi structured interviews were performed with the Fab Managers of one Portuguese Lab, one Spanish Lab, one French Lab, one Italian Lab, and three Brazilian Labs. Interesting findings characterized the researched environments.

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