Knowledge Management and Learning in Urban Revitalization Processes of Selected Non-profit Cultural Organizations in Slovakia

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present selected revitalization processes of inadequately used city buildings reflecting the implementation of lessons learned and effective knowledge management tools. We focus on the leaders of non-profit organizations who together with their teams have participated in successful conversions of historical buildings to alive cultural and community centers. Our research, covering a period of the years 2013–2016, has primarily concentrated on defining, delivering and exploiting tacit and explicit knowledge in certain revitalizing and operating stages of the studied venues in three Slovak cities – Bratislava, Žilina and Košice. On the basis of Nonaka-Takeuchi SECI model, a set of case studies and interviews as well as monitoring stakeholders’ opinions and observing more than 200 events, the authors designed a tailored knowledge management model for non-profit organizations. The model has an ambition to serve as a framework to present best practices and to assist in managing urban revitalizing and sustainable approaches in the field of non-profit organizations. The crucial elements of such effort are creative and innovative actors with interdisciplinary thinking, who emphasize responsible and transparent organizational behavior and who, therefore, gain a necessary stakeholders’ support. Outputs from our research have led us to generalizing and designing a knowledge management model that allows us to recommend it as an effective and inspiring learning tool for other non-profit organizations and useful material for students of management.