QUANTIFYING TACIT KNOWLEDGE: Assessing the evolution of tacit knowledge in the production of salt in the Low Countries (1000-2000)

Abstract

Regularly, results of studies on the number of jobs available in the near future appear in the media. The conclusions are often alarming when it turns out that a large number of jobs will disappear in the long term. The fact that new jobs are also being created at the same time is often not mentioned or is mentioned in passing. Jobs, or activities, can disappear if they can be taken over by automation, but in order to automate an activity, the knowledge needed to carry out this activity must be explicit. The opposite of explicit knowledge is tacit knowledge. If the activity is largely based on tacit knowledge, then the activity cannot be automated. Since most studies focus on the future, this raises the question: How did the process work in the past? To gain insight into the extent to which the use of tacit knowledge played a role, a case study has been defined: The production of salt in the Low Countries in the period from 1000 to 2000. By dissecting the production process into logical stages, it can be determined for each stage whether the knowledge used is largely explicit or tacit. If necessary, experiments have been carried out to determine the nature of the activity. The study shows that in the Late Middle Ages, tacit knowledge was needed to carry out about half of the activities. This share fell to zero in the twentieth century due to the development of measuring instruments and a better knowledge of the chemistry and physics of the process. The salt maker changed from a professional with knowledge, often obtained through years of experience, into an operator who monitors a fully automated process and only has to intervene when necessary.