Legitimacy Knowledge: Understanding the Impact of Legitimacy on Knowledge Acquisition and Decision Making
The concept of legitimacy has been the subject of much research over the past few decades. Legitimacy is defined as the perception of an organization, an individual, or an action being in line with the laws, values, and norms of a society (Vandenabeele, 2014). As such, legitimacy plays an important role in the acquisition and utilization of knowledge, as well as decision-making. This article will explore the impact of legitimacy on knowledge acquisition and decision making.
The impact of legitimacy on knowledge acquisition can be seen in the way organizations use legitimacy to gain access to privileged information. For example, organizations may use legal mandates or interpersonal relationships to gain access to data and resources that are not available to the general public (Eubanks et al., 2017). Such access allows organizations to gain insights that could not be acquired otherwise, enabling them to make better decisions and increase their competitive advantage. Moreover, legitimacy can also be used to ensure the accuracy of the information obtained, as it is more likely that reliable sources will be willing to share information with legitimate entities or individuals.
Legitimacy also has an impact on decision-making. When individuals or organizations have a sense of legitimacy, they are more likely to make decisions that are based on logic and evidence rather than on emotion or personal biases (Kant et al., 2017). This is because legitimacy provides a sense of certainty and security, which can lead to more rational and informed decisions. Furthermore, when legitimacy is lacking, individuals may be more likely to take risks or use strategies that do not align with established norms and values (Lipsky et al., 2013). This can lead to costly mistakes or potentially unethical behavior.
In conclusion, legitimacy is an important factor in both knowledge acquisition and decision-making. Organizations and individuals must be aware of the impact of legitimacy on their actions and take steps to ensure that their activities are perceived as legitimate. This can help to ensure that organizations gain access to reliable information and make decisions that are rational and well-informed.
References
Eubanks, D. L., Bozeman, B., & Ferreira, M. (2017). Access to privileged information: Legitimacy and gatekeepers in policy-relevant research. Policy Studies Journal, 45(2), 273-295.
Kant, R., Chatterjee, S., & Ravishankar, M. N. (2017). Legitimacy and its impact on organizational decision making. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 7(1), 27-31.
Lipsky, M., Bovaird, T., & Larkin, S. (2013). Legitimacy, policy failure, and the risk of policy experimentation. Public Administration Review, 73(4), 610-619.
Vandenabeele, W. (2014). Legitimacy: A bridge between organization and the environment. Journal of Business Ethics, 122(2), 231-238.