Wading and Jumping into a New Job—Exploring Dynamics of Knowledge Flow for Systems Engineers

Abstract

Engineering companies are growing increasingly concerned with identifying ways to effectively transfer knowledge, both to new employees and between employees who collaborate to develop new products. Effective knowledge capture is difficult in research and development contexts where design knowledge is rapidly changing and often poorly documented. This paper uses a case study at a small engineering company to suggest that effective knowledge transfer must be both relational (asking intelligent questions of mentors who are taxed for time) and procedural (using documentation to record how decisions are made). Cultural consensus analysis identifies two distinct cultural domains regarding effective socialization for new systems engineers. Waders advocate guided introduction, while Jumpers advocate immediate responsibility. These common themes for companies dealing with rapidly changing knowledge offer insights to scholars interested in studying the broader domain of anthropology of work.