A dynamics model of two kinds of knowledge transmission on duplex networks

Abstract

First, we consider the complex system composed of two kinds of knowledge transmitted by individuals in an organization as a set of duplex networks, which including two sub-networks, one consisting of individuals disseminating one kind of knowledge through online and offline channels, and the other sub-network consisting of individuals disseminating the other kind of knowledge through the two channels. On this basis, we establish a s1i1r1i1−s2i2r2i2 dynamics model of two kinds of knowledge transmission on duplex networks. Second, we obtain the threshold to distinguish whether one kind of knowledge is continuously spread or not through the two channels in the organization, and verify that our model fits well with the actual data. Finally, we conduct the numerical simulations on the process of two kinds of knowledge transmission through online and offline channels. The simulations indicate that: (1) If one kind of knowledge is transmitted online too many times for individuals in unit time, it will likely lead to the gradual loss of the other kind of knowledge in the organization. Each kind of knowledge should be disseminated online moderately for individuals so that both kinds of knowledge can be continuously spread. (2) The transmission of each kind of knowledge is more efficient in the scale-free (online)–homogeneous (offline) sub-network when there is facilitation between the dissemination of two kinds of knowledge. When there is competition between two kinds of knowledge dissemination in the same group, the time of transmission to stabilize in the scale-free (online)–homogeneous (offline) sub-network is shorter, but the final scale of transmission in the homogeneous (online)–homogeneous (offline) sub-network is larger for each kind of knowledge.