Deliberate Knowledge Seekers: How Actors Use Media to Build Tie Strength Before Knowledge Transfer

Abstract

Interpersonal knowledge transfer requires both the seeker and source of knowledge to dedicate considerable time and effort to move the knowledge from one person to another. One way to ease knowledge transfer is to ensure that the knowledge seeker and knowledge source have a sufficiently strong relationship, that is, a relationship strength that can support the effort required for transferring desired knowledge. Problems arise when knowledge seekers do not have a sufficiently strong tie with a knowledge source. In these cases, knowledge seekers may find a different source of needed knowledge or gain access through an intermediate actor. We argue, however, that knowledge seekers often engage in a more direct alternative: they attempt to improve their relationship with the knowledge source before they ask for needed knowledge. In this paper, we hypothesize about how knowledge seekers perceive tie strength for knowledge transfer and how they act when tie strength is insufficient. We also theorize about the role of communication media, including face-to-face communication and social networking sites, in improving relationships before knowledge transfer. Evidence gives rise to a theory of anticipated knowledge transfer that contributes to existing literature on both media use and knowledge sharing in organizations.