It is an era of hyper information. People have access to a large amount of information. Discoveries are happening every other day. But have you ever thought about where does knowledge come from?
Where Does Knowledge Come From?
Knowledge comes from information and experience. Information collected from our senses is processed and develops into knowledge. Likewise, experiences turn into knowledge. It helps us sharpen our skills, make better decisions, and take practical actions. Knowledge helps us understand facts effectively.
Knowledge is helpful in day-to-day activities. It is also mandatory in professional life. You cannot be a successful entrepreneur without sufficient information about your field. In this article, let’s discuss where knowledge comes from in detail so that you can benefit from this piece of information.
Table of Contents
Explanation of where does knowledge come from
To understand the underlying question, firstly, we need to understand what knowledge is? In simple words, knowledge is awareness gained about something that increases your understanding of that thing. It can be a sales strategy or a manufacturing process. Also, you can refer to the knowledge definition article for more details
We often hear people saying I have good know-how about so and so. On the contrary, people say I don’t know about this or that. Every person has a different level of knowledge. As a result, it shows knowledge is an individualistic trait.
According to a worldwide survey in the travel and transportation sector in 2018, 66.7% of organizations believe that agent knowledge is the most important factor for customer experience resulting in enhanced customer satisfaction.
Furthermore, 87.2% of organizations stated that improved customer experiences lead to higher customer value and loyalty. The statistics show that knowledge has a measurable effect on the success of your business.
Different questions arise here; do all people not have access to the same information? What makes information turn into knowledge? How can experience provide knowledge? Does it make any difference in the actions?
We need to dissect these questions one by one.
Information
It is elementary to confuse these two terms, information and knowledge. People usually use them interchangeably, but they are subtly different from one another.
Information is processed data; when you process raw data it is turned into information. For example, the sales of diapers in one store are data. But the average sales of the diapers in every state across the country is information.
On the other hand, knowledge is an understanding of the subject we acquire with the help of information. You can say information paves the way for knowledge.
Let’s keep the same example of sales of diapers. We can understand information, turn it into knowledge, and use it for making different decisions. Make decisions about the sales strategy or check the market saturation level.
Information is beneficial but not as productive as knowledge. There are multiple applications of knowledge that are not attainable with information only.
Experience
If you ask people, where does knowledge come from? They will most probably reply, experience. Knowledge gained from experience is compelling and shapes a well-rounded person. Both information and experiences will lead to knowledge. It is necessary to strike a balance between knowledge learned from books and knowledge learned through experiences.
For example, riding a bicycle is an experience. Reading the instructions on how to ride the bike is information. This information is helpful but doesn’t do much without experience.
Furthermore, how to ride a bicycle is procedural knowledge. It involves your intuition and analysis. Also, it tends to be implicit. Procedural knowledge is understanding how to do something. It affects your motor skills and almost becomes muscle memory.
You can teach someone else how to ride the bike because you have information, experience, and knowledge. You know what you need, how to ride, what it feels, and when to stop.
Are we born knowledgeable?
I think the answer is pretty straightforward, no. All babies are born with the same amount of information. They know the essential functions of survival only. With time, individuals learn about things and become knowledgeable.
Hence it is clear that knowledge is a learned trait. One might be born with a higher IQ but not more knowledgeable. He can use his abilities to gain knowledge.
Some kids learn things very quickly while others take a sufficient amount of time to learn the same thing. Why do you think the learning time is different for different kids? Because learning involves reasoning, sense, and experience. All of these things lead to knowledge.
Sources of knowledge
The following sections explain some sources of knowledge:
Data collection:
To attain knowledge, the first step is to collect data. Data can be collected through an online survey, questionnaire, or direct interview. Businesses must plan carefully about the demographic and geographic aspects before collecting data.
Once data is collected, it will be processed because it is not beneficial to the organization in its raw form. Organizations categorize data into similar groups, which helps in gaining meaningful outcomes.
Analysis:
When data is processed, it becomes information. Now the information is further analyzed to gain knowledge. You can identify repeated trends or patterns with the help of knowledge. This statistical knowledge will lead you to make better decisions based on hard-core facts.
Synthesis:
The knowledge collected after analysis can now be interpreted in a global context. Organizations can apply synthesized knowledge as rules. Synthesis can help in recognizing gaps and flaws in the attained knowledge, which is a positive aspect of future research.
These are the obvious things to gain knowledge, but for more information, try to refer to the article How to acquire knowledge and knowledge development article
How does knowledge affect decision-making in a business?
Two people, with and without knowledge, cannot be equal. The same goes for businesses. Businesses with and without good knowledge management cannot make the same decisions.
Managers can make swift and prompt decisions when they have access to information at the right time. Decision-making is critical to the company’s success.
Every business has unique information which is processed into knowledge. It contains formal and informal data, emails, and product descriptions. This sum of details is used to gain a competitive advantage.
Every business needs the knowledge to make better and quicker decisions. For instance, a company wants to launch a new product. A trainer is hired to give training. If the trainer has access to the previous training program, he can update that and use that.
Also, the trainer can analyze the weak points of the training program with the help of given information. He can decide whether to use the previous program, update that, or make a new one from scratch. This way, the trainer can avoid the mistakes made in the previous training program. Hence, he can make better and quicker decisions because of his deep understanding of information.
Once the trainer has made a decision about the training program, he can implement it effectively to get productive outcomes. Knowledge is turned into a decision and then executed as action. When actions provide results, it leads to the long-term success of a business.
If businesses provide curated and comprehensive information, it is easier for individuals to make decisions. Also, the decisions are quick, better, and more confident. As all the data is displayed in one place, it enables decision-makers to focus on relevant information.
Does knowledge lead to a successful business?
It’s a famous saying, “knowledge is the key to success.” Great things can happen if we attain knowledge, set our goals high, and work hard to achieve them.
A business has to achieve its targeted goals to enjoy success. The only way to achieve goals is to have comprehensive knowledge based on which decisions are made. Then these decisions are put to action, which leads to success.
Knowledge is gained by linking information together and identifying recurring patterns. It happens through analysis, intuition, and experience. Inclusive information not only helps employees to save time but also makes decision-making easier. Time management is another factor that gives you a kick start on the road to success.
One more factor in gaining success is customer satisfaction. Awareness of facts also helps businesses develop a customer-friendly strategy that improves the customer experience.
For instance, if you have knowledge about customers’ demands and expectations, you will develop a strategy according to customers’ demands. As a result, the customer will be happy and satisfied. A satisfied customer provides recurring sales and recommends your products to its peers. Higher sales mean higher profits.
Conclusion
Knowledge sharpens our skills like reasoning and problem-solving. It helps the brain function more effectively and smoothly. Knowledge also makes us intelligent and rational. But where does knowledge come from?
Knowledge comes from information and experience. Information collected from our senses is processed and develops into knowledge. Likewise, experiences turn into knowledge. It helps us sharpen our skills, make better decisions, and take practical actions. Knowledge helps us understand facts effectively.
Knowledge makes businesses successful and long-lasting. It is a continuous learning process that never ends. Organizations make better and quick decisions when comprehensive information is available at the right time.
Knowledge makes people confident and intellectual. Knowledgeable people make better choices and excel in their personal and professional life. One should always strive to increase their knowledge base to reap its unlimited benefits.