Applicability of the SECI model of knowledge creation in Russian cultural context: Theoretical analysis

While the potential infl uence of national culture on the effi ciency of knowledge management interventions has been widely accepted there is a little discussion concerning the underlying question — are the theories and models of knowledge related processes we use infl uenced by culture? SECI model proposed by Nonaka and Takeuchi is very infl uential in knowledge management community, and its authors repeatedly claim of its universal validity. However, few recent writings challenge this opinion. Such discussion is complicated by the fact that SECI model in its original format resists empirical verifi cation and thus limits its critical analysis. The aim of this study is to continue this discussion and to explore the limits of applicability of the SECI model through its operationalization and identifi cation of the opportunities and limits of its application in Russian cultural context.