Knowledge Transfer Process Cycle: Between Factory Floor and Middle Management

Abstract

Factory floor workers can add value to their firm from new knowledge they may discover whilst performing their daily tasks. The transfer of that knowledge to middle managers can improve process efficiencies, if they can utilise it. Researchers and practitioners perceive value in understanding a range of knowledge transfer strategies and initiatives, yet there is little empirical evidence on ground level knowledge discovery and bottom-up knowledge transfers in a manufacturing environment. Our results show that factory workers do not codify their knowledge and only articulate it personally. Thus firms must provide an environment that supports knowledge exchanges within the factory worker community and upwards to middle managers whom act as knowledge facilitators rather than knowledge creators between factory workers and upper management.