According to Professor Ikujiro Nonaka, knowledge creation is a spiraling process of interactions between explicit and tacit knowledge. The interactions between the explicit and tacit knowledge lead to the creation of new knowledge. The combination of the two categories makes it possible to conceptualize four conversion patterns.

Nonaka also suggests different 'Ba's which facilitate the knowledge conversion for his SECI Knowledge creation model.

The four conversion patterns of knowledge are illustrated in diagram below:

Nonaka's SECI Model

	Tacit K	Tacit K
	Socialization (Originating Ba)	Externalization (Interacting Ba)
	Internalization (Exercising Ba)	Combination (Cyber Ba)
	Explicit K	Explicit K

Above content quoted from:

Ikujiro Nonaka, Noboru Konno, The concept of "Ba’: Building foundation for Knowledge Creation. California Management Review Vol 40, No.3 Spring 1998.