Adaptation of Knowledge Integration in Innovation-Driven Organisations During Rapid Growth : A Case Study within Mechanical Development

Sammanfattning

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to develop a better understanding of how innovation-driven organisations adapt knowledge integration during rapid organisational growth. Methodology – A qualitative single-case study was conducted within mechanical development in an innovation-driven organisation during rapid organisational growth. The case data were collected through a preliminary study, document studies, observations, semi-structured interviews, and informal interviews. The empirical material was analysed through thematic analysis. Findings – The study identified three aggregate dimensions: Individualised and Informal Knowledge Integration, Formal Knowledge Mechanisms Misaligned with Work Practice, and Growth-Induced Fragmentation of Knowledge and Capabilities. The findings indicate that knowledge integration was largely carried out through tacit experience, informal interaction, personal networks, and individual responsibility. These practices supported flexibility and situated problem-solving but also created person-dependence and uneven access to knowledge. During rapid organisational growth these vulnerabilities became more visible as knowledge became increasingly distributed across employees, roles, functions, and projects. A key challenge was therefore not a lack of knowledge, but that knowledge became more difficult to locate, coordinate, and reuse. Implications – The study contributes to knowledge integration literature by explaining how rapid organisational growth can intensify the tension between informal knowledge practices and formal knowledge mechanisms. The main practical implication is practice-aligned formalisation, meaning that organisations should strengthen formal mechanisms in ways that support, rather than replace, informal and situated knowledge integration. This includes making knowledge more visible, accessible, reusable, and connected to daily work. Limitations – The study was conducted as a single-case study within one organisational context and focused on mechanical development and design-test-related work. The findings should therefore be understood as analytically generalisable to theory and potentially transferable to similar organisational contexts, rather than statistically generalisable. The proposed model of practice-aligned formalisation should also be understood as a practical implication derived from the analysis, not as an empirically tested solution.