Knowledge represents an understanding of phenomena. In the context of technological systems, knowledge represents an understanding of the principles that underlie their functioning, processes employed to create them, and the uses that these technological systems serve. These three facets represent know-why, know-how and know-what respectively.
Each component of knowledge is acquired through different means — know-how through a process of learning-by-doing, know-why through a process of learning-by-studying and know-what through a process of learning-by-using.
On the distinction between know-how, know-what and know-why
by Raghu Garud
(1997)
ftp://ftp.unicauca.edu.co/Facultades/FIET/Materias/Gestion_tecnologica/2005/Clase%209/KNOW.pdf
Each component exhibits different economies — know-how demonstrating decreasing returns to scale, know-why increasing returns to scope, and know-what increasing returns to substitution.
Once created, these knowledge components reside in different “storage bins.” Know-how resides in individuals, organizational routines and manufacturing practices. Some parts of know-how can be articulated and documented whereas other parts may remain tacit. Know-why resides in individuals and is frequently articulated in documents. Know-what often resides at the nexus of the relationship between vendors and customers. There usually is an attempt to document such knowledge in marketing and sales reports.