The Contribution of Evaluation to Socialization and Externalization of Tacit Knowledge: The Case of the World Bank

• Published in: Evaluation (London, England. 1995) England. 1995), 2004-07, Vol.10 (3), p.263-283
• Main Author: Marra, Mita
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Case studies; Codification; Data collection; Development agencies; Evaluation; Explicit knowledge; Externalizing behaviour; Information communication; International Bank for Reconstruction and Development; International Economic Organizations; International organizations; Interviews; Knowledge; Knowledge management; Management; Organization development; Organization theory; Organizational culture; Organizational Development; Organizational learning; Organizational research; Social interaction; Socialization; Strategic planning; Tacit knowledge; Vocabulary; World Bank
• ISSN: 1356-3890; 1461-7153
• DOI: 10.1177/1356389004048278

International organizations are increasingly focusing on organizational learning. The experience accumulated by development agencies throughout the world has become a source of organizational knowledge, which, according to Nonaka, is transferred through processes of socialization and externalization. Based upon three case studies and in-depth interviewing of World Bank managers and evaluators over two years, this article explores the contribution of evaluation to organizational learning. The study analyses the use patterns of evaluation as a source of knowledge within the World Bank. Findings show that participatory designs and processes favour socialization of tacit knowledge through interaction between organizational members. Theory-driven evaluations help externalize tacit into codified or explicit knowledge. Particular evaluation constructs - i.e. ‘chilling effect’ - provide vocabulary that clarifies discussion and debate for strategic planning. Overall, managers value those evaluation properties associated with (a) first-hand data collection within country case studies, and (b) theory-driven analyses, externalizing tacit insights coming from the field.