The Inherent Relationship between Knowledge, Communication, and Organisational Silos: A Review of Counteracting Silos

The author’s motivation for undertaking research to address the problem of organisational siloing stems from the impact this problem has, namely the detrimental effect on organisational performance and the tangible threat to the achievement of performance objectives. Therefore, the primary aim of this article is to review strategies for counteracting silos using knowledge and through communication within organisations. The secondary objective is to identify silos in the context of organisational deficiencies in communication and knowledge across two dimensions: diagnosing silos and assessing their causes and conditions. The research methodology is based on a thematic literature review, and drawing the most relevant scientific conclusions. The most valuable contribution of this work is the identification of strategies, including actions, tools, and mechanisms to prevent or minimise the effect of silos and organisational siloing. Additionally, this work highlights the numerous links between siloing, knowledge, and communication.