Fostering synergies between information technology and managerial and organizational cognition: the role of knowledge management

In this paper, we try to understand the role of knowledge management in fos tering a synergistic symbiosis between information technology and manageria l and organizational cognition. Both information technology and knowledge m anagement can be perceived as strategic enablers of managerial and organiza tional cognition. We synthesize classical cognition concepts and recent emp irical experience with knowledge management applications to develop an orga nizational knowledge management model (the Organizational Cognition Spiral or OCS) and tool (the organizational knowledge network or OK net) for under standing and supporting managerial and organizational cognition. (C) 1999 E lsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.