Unfortunately, many knowledge management initiatives have found only the tip of the iceberg, since the vast majority of what people know lies below the surface of their conscious understanding about what they know-the difference between explicit and tacit knowledge. And this is the difference that makes all the difference. I will therefore not take much time here trying to create a fully satisfactory response. In addition, the knowledge we are most interested in is that which allows effective action within a certain domain. Knowledge which never results in action is of little interest in most cases.
Explicit knowledge is that which an individual can express or represent relatively effectively.
While knowledge resides most richly within people, some knowledge can be made explicit, becoming represented as process descriptions, lessons, coaching, etc. Knowledge that has been turned into signals such as these is, I would argue, information. However, from the perspective of the person with the knowledge who is representing it, it can be called explicit knowledge. He can explain what he knows. Tacit knowledge is much trickier.