Knowledge transfer in a large technology company: Identification of key factor affecting broker's knowledge approval

Abstract

Knowledge is typically created within one unit of a company and then transferred through contact persons (“knowledge brokers”) to the other units. There are four main types of participants in the knowledge transfer process: sender, broker, broker's boss, and the other unit members. Transferring knowledge and promoting its utilization to all members in a hierarchical organization is not easy. A key element in effective knowledge transfer identified in a previous work is that the broker's knowledge approval (KA) has a positive impact on knowledge utilization by other members. In this study, several factors in creating KA were hypothesized. They were then tested by holding safety-training courses in a large Japanese technology company and surveying the 36 trainees (knowledge brokers) to ascertain their attitudes related to the hypothesize factors. Multiple regression analysis showed that the sender's KA was the factor that contributed most to the broker's KA. The findings were used to identify methods to improve the effectiveness of knowledge transfer in a large company from the perspective of a knowledge broker.