The allegory of tacit knowledge: a review & research agenda for entrepreneurship

Abstract

Research on tacit knowledge in the entrepreneurship field has raised a significant amount of interest in recent years and has developed both quickly and unequally. On the one hand, there is consensus that tacit knowledge is highly valued in the context of entrepreneurship as it often holds unique insights, expertise, and problem-solving capabilities that can provide a competitive advantage to individuals and organizations. On the other hand, research on the intersection of entrepreneurship and tacit knowledge has evolved significantly and developed in different directions (e.g., in terms of research context, levels of analysis, proxies), resulting in fragmented and often ambiguous findings. Therefore, the goal of this study is to consolidate the state-of-the-art of scholarly research published in top-tier entrepreneurship journals. To this aim, we performed a systematic literature review by analysing a set of 25 papers in order to synthesize prior research, identify key gaps and contributions, and propose a framework to enhance our understanding of tacit knowledge in entrepreneurship. This review provides a valuable resource for scholars interested in the intersection of tacit knowledge and entrepreneurship. Our article underscores the need for further research by proposing a research agenda to bridge existing gaps, expand knowledge, and shape the future of this important field.