Measuring the Impact of Knowledge Loss: More Than Ripples on a Pond?

Abstract

The impact of knowledge loss on an organization is a largely unexplored area of strategic management. This article reports the findings from an in-depth case study of an organization within the Australian Department of Defence, which suggest that lost human capital may produce decreased organizational output and productivity; lost social capital may reduce organizational memory; lost structural capital may diminish organizational learning; and lost relational capital may produce disrupted external knowledge flows. The study contributes a conceptual framework that measures the impact of knowledge loss on surviving employees.