Multidisciplinary project teams

Knowledge in designing a product or rendering a service does not form a complete and coherent body of knowledge that can be precisely documented or even articulated by a single individual. Rather, it is a form of knowing that exists only through the interaction among various collective actors (Gherardi & Nicolini, 2000). Existing literature (Kanter, 1988; Nonaka, 1994; Spender, 1998; Starbuck, 1992) has highlighted a need for the development of a diverse workforce if knowledge creation is to be promoted and sustained within organisations. This literature suggests that a diverse set of resources (experts with different backgrounds and abilities) provides a broad knowledge base at the individual level, offering greater potential for knowledge creation.