Which statement best describes explicit knowledge?

Which statement best describes explicit knowledge?

• A. Tacit knowledge is codified and easily communicated.
• B. Explicit knowledge is codified and easily communicated.
• C. Tacit knowledge is easily communicated.
• D. Explicit knowledge is knowledge gained through experience and is hard to articulate.

Answer: (B)

Explicit knowledge is knowledge that can be codified and communicated. It’s the kind you can write down in manuals, procedures, textbooks, or stored in databases, so others can understand and apply it without needing personal experience. Because it’s documented, transfer is straightforward and scalable. In contrast, tacit knowledge resides in a person’s mind—skills, know-how, and intuition built through practice—which is hard to articulate or transmit with words alone and often requires mentoring or hands-on demonstration. This makes the statement that explicit knowledge is codified and easily communicated the best description.

Explicit knowledge is knowledge that can be codified and communicated. It’s the kind you can write down in manuals, procedures, textbooks, or stored in databases, so others can understand and apply it without needing personal experience. Because it’s documented, transfer is straightforward and scalable. In contrast, tacit knowledge resides in a person’s mind—skills, know-how, and intuition built through practice—which is hard to articulate or transmit with words alone and often requires mentoring or hands-on demonstration. This makes the statement that explicit knowledge is codified and easily communicated the best description.