Organizational stages and knowledge management in educational institutions

This study relates the theory of organizational stages with the creation and management processes for collective knowledge; these, adequately managed, can help organizational learning and enable passing from one organizational stage to another. Results confirm that educational institutions can create and manage knowledge if they encourage collaborative, presential or virtual work, which is effective and keeps the social service to be performed as a priority. Departments and teacher teams, as support structures for the collaborative work, can contribute to developing the organizations and individuals if the knowledge manager or moderator uses appropriate strategies, maintains the social cohesion of the group, and adequately combines analysis of professional practice problems with training needs and with decision making and follow-up on the corresponding curriculum decisions. The main proposals are thereby translated into the establishment of appropriate conditions for promoting open participation and horizontal structures in the organizational operation.