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Organizations are operating in increasingly complex worlds that require them to apply large amounts of knowledge to their activities. Because knowledge is continuously changing and evolving, most organizations cannot possess all required knowledge within their formal boundaries. Accordingly, they need to acquire large amounts of knowledge from outside the organization by tapping their linkages to external organizations and individuals.

A variety of methods can be used to access knowledge that lies outside the organization's boundaries. Such methods vary from tapping the social networks of executives to more involved efforts such as alliances. The method used must be appropriate to the volume and kind of knowledge needed.

However, benefiting from the knowledge of outsiders has several additional complexities, and executives need to prepare their organizations to take advantage of …