Self-reinforcement: starting the chain reaction

Abstract

Knowledge is a more ethereal concept than money or any of the other traditional corporate assets. But it is precisely because it is unquantifiable that another characteristic comes into play. We call this trait self-reinforcement to emphasize that sharing knowledge does not normally lead to a decline in its use or value. Self-reinforcement is not a trait of other assets. A machine can only be in one place at one time, and sharing €100 means that you end up with less than €100. But sharing knowledge produces different results. The original knowledge holder keeps the knowledge even after it has been shared, and the knowledge receiver gains the knowledge, which means it can be applied more widely, creating value, or, combined with the recipient’s own knowledge, creating even more value.