Law Firms as Knowledge Organizations

Abstract

A new perspective on knowledge in organizations is being created. Organizations are viewed as bodies of knowledge, and knowledge management is considered an increasingly important source of competitive advantage for organizations. The special capabilities of organizations for creating and transferring knowledge are being identified as a central element of organizational advantage. Knowledge embedded in the organization’s business processes and the employee’s skills provide the firm with unique capabilities to give clients a product or service. Scholars and observers from disciplines as disparate as sociology, economics, and management science agree that a transformation has occurred—knowledge is at center stage.