The Organizational Value of Tacit Knowledge Derived from Parenting

The current interest in lifelong learning has resulted in work and personal experiences being recognized by educational authorities as valuable sources of informal learning. which may have a positive impact oil society ill general, and on individuals' employability in particular. This paper argues that one specific type of informal learning that which is developed through Parenting can provide tacit knowledge that may be valuable in work Situations. We provide a brief explanation of the nature and relevance of informal learning.! for the knowledge society. We review available literature in the field of developmental psychology which has focused on parenting as a context for personal development, and suggest that two tacit skills derived from parenting are especially Valuable in work settings, namely flexible thinking and allocentric thinking. The organizational value of these skills is analyzed with tin emphasis on its usefulness for knowledge workers, and general implications arc discussed.