Collaborative Knowledge Transfer Research Articles

Reporting on the Development of a Web-Based Prototype Dashboard for Construction Design Managers, Achieved through Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM)

Construction Design Management (DM) involves the coordination of design processes and activities to ensure quality project design, yet it involves many challenges. This study reports on a collaborative Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project with a Case Study Organization (CSO) that tackled several issues faced by construction design managers. Employing a design science research methodology (DSRM), qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with purposefully identified design managers uncovered real-world concerns around design co-ordination and performance monitoring. To address these concerns, a web-based design management prototype dashboard was developed using typical project data to aid in the management of design coordination, task prioritization, and reporting functionalities. The web-based Design Management prototype dashboard enhances design management productivity in construction firms by monitoring design production, assessing designer performance trends, and focusing on Technical Queries (TQs) and Requests for Information (RFIs). Digitalizing selected design management processes improves efficiency and productivity. The visual reporting of the dashboard enables design production monitoring at project and portfolio levels, assesses trends in designer performance, and maintains focus on TQs and RFIs. Demonstrating how web-based Design Management dashboards can enhance productivity, this study emphasizes practical solutions derived from employing a design science research methodology. The development and application of the web-based dashboard contribute to the growing evidence that employing design science research methodology in construction can yield tangible solutions to address real-world construction concerns.

Industry 4.0 HUB: A Collaborative Knowledge Transfer Platform for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Industry 4.0 brings opportunities for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), but SMEs are lacking Industry 4.0 knowledge, and this might result in a challenge to support SMEs’ competitiveness and productivity. During recent years, the European Commission and some government initiatives have been fostering the transition toward Industry 4.0 for SMEs through the creation of Digital Innovation Hubs, the Plattform Industrie 4.0, and some other initiatives. Nonetheless, the authors consider that the lack of knowledge is still a risk toward Industry 4.0 transformation for SMEs. New ways to improve Industry 4.0 knowledge management and especially the knowledge transfer must be developed. When SMEs start the transition to Industry 4.0, first of all, they do not want to start from scratch, and secondly, it can be easy to get lost in the multitude of technologies and tools that are available in today’s market. There is a gap in which to provide a collaborative Industry 4.0 knowledge transfer platform or hub designed for SMEs. Therefore, this research aims to enhance Industry 4.0 knowledge transfer through the development of a collaborative, web-based knowledge transfer Industry 4.0 platform. The outcome of this research is a developed platform that will be referred to as Industry 4.0 HUB.

Evaluation of a community of practice for speech-language pathologists in aphasia rehabilitation: a logic analysis

BackgroundAphasia is a communication disorder affecting participation. Although there are evidence-based practice recommendations about participation and aphasia rehabilitation, it may be challenging for speech-language pathologists to ensure that rehabilitation activities have an impact on the person’s participation, in part due to time limitations. Participation remains limited after rehabilitation for persons who have aphasia. Communities of practice (CoPs) are a collaborative knowledge transfer strategy that can be used for evidence-based practice implementation. The aim of this study was to describe the components and evaluate a CoP for speech-language pathologists about participation and aphasia rehabilitation.MethodsLogic analysis was used to determine the adequacy between resources, implemented activities, outputs and short-term outcomes of the CoP. Qualitative and quantitative descriptive data were collected through observation and participants’ logbooks. Outputs and outcomes of the CoP were revealed through thematic analysis and interpretation of descriptive statistics.ResultsResources including CoP design and educational aims, human and material resources were combined to create various web-based, online and offline activities. Participants invested more time per week than expected in the CoP, shared and created clinical tools and appreciated the array of suggested activities. Participant engagement allowed them to reflect, interact and collaborate with each other. All 13 participants reported they acquired knowledge about clinical tools and 12 mentioned they reflected on their practice. While the CoP was ongoing, six participants noticed evidence-practice gaps, seven prepared to change their practice, and three changed their practice towards including more participation-based considerations.ConclusionsThis study showed that speech-language pathologists can include more participation-based approaches in aphasia rehabilitation as a result of participating in a time-bound, web-based CoP.

Knowledge transfer in collaborations between foreign and indigenous firms in the Nigerian oil industry: The role of partners' motivational characteristics

Previous empirical studies on determinants of interfirm knowledge transfer have been largely focused on knowledge transfer between symmetrical partners, where there are relatively similar levels of knowledge sophistication and complementary knowledge‐transfer motives. Determinants of knowledge transfer between partners in asymmetric “market‐exploitation” alliances, where there are large differences in capabilities, and in motives, of the collaborating partners, have been understudied. This article presents a qualitative case study‐research of knowledge transfer in such collaborations in the Nigerian oil industry. Four cases of interfirm collaborative arrangements between foreign and local indigenous firms in the industry were studied and analyzed. Based on the results of the case study research, this article highlights the dominant role of partners' motivational characteristics, as against, their cognitive characteristics in the knowledge‐transfer process of asymmetric market‐exploitation alliances. It develops a set of theoretical propositions to expand the understanding of the key determinants of learning and knowledge transfer.

Influence of knowledge transfer on SNS community cohesiveness

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine whether social networking site (SNS) communities benefit from collective knowledge and collaboration, which represent a portfolio of knowledge transfer on SNSs. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted on a large scale through an online questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze data collected from 674 experienced SNS users. Findings The results indicate that all three exogenous variables, presented as user characteristics and integrated into SNS user characteristics, were positively related to the knowledge transfer portfolio, namely, to collective knowledge and collaboration, and these variables had significant moderating effects on SNS users’ community cohesiveness. Early SNS adoption was more likely than late SNS adoption to moderate the relationship between collective knowledge and community cohesiveness and that between collective collaboration and community cohesiveness. Practical implications The findings provide useful insights for SNS operators to enhance the process of collaborative knowledge transfer. They may also be used to obtain better insights into important factors that require closer attention during SNS use. Originality/value The present study provides a systematic analysis of SNS use by considering a new research model and investigating the effects of SNS-based knowledge transfer on user outcomes based on three major characteristics of SNS users. The results are expected to provide a major foundation for further SNS research and a better understanding of the relationships between SNS user characteristics, knowledge transfer, and community cohesiveness.

Absorptive capacity versus distributive capability

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to disentangle the role of the source and recipient of knowledge in supply chain collaboration by providing evidence that the distributive capabilities of a source, working in conjunction with the absorptive capacity (AC) of a recipient, have direct and significant effects on levels of collaborative engagement between supply chain partners and indirect and significant effects on collaborative operational outcomes. Design/methodology/approach This study utilises 310 surveys and structural equations modelling to provide empirical evidence to support the significance of the source of knowledge in collaborative activities. Findings The study provides evidence for source-based knowledge transfer constructs (distributive capabilities) in supply chain collaboration. Further, this research supports these capabilities working in conjunction with recipient AC both as necessary but insufficient requirements for successful knowledge transfer. Practical implications Firm interdependence within supply chains continues to grow. In today’s environment of outsourcing and increasing levels of inter-firm activities, this research provides a parsimonious model of collaboration that allows firms to understand knowledge transfer better and how to more aptly manage these types of activities and complex relationships. Originality/value Earlier research in this domain has focussed on the abilities of a recipient firm to absorb knowledge in order to understand successful collaborative knowledge transfer. By solely focussing on the recipient firm, the role of the source of knowledge has been largely overlooked in this stream of research.

Development of a Peer-Creation-Process to Leverage the Power of Collaborative Knowledge Transfer

The effective transfer of existing knowledge among employees becomes increasingly important for organizations in order to remain competitive on the market. Even though the digital age allows for new ways of team collaboration, there are still unsolved problems in terms of knowledge transfer. Thus, knowledge activities as well as aspects of tool support need to be analyzed. Hence, we develop a peer-creation-process (PCP) that provokes know-ledge transfer in several ways. There is a transfer of knowledge from experts to novices and among the experts, resulting in a high-quality knowledge document. We ground our research on insights from collaborative learning and collaboration engineering to develop and evaluate the PCP. We contribute to theory and practice by providing a theory for design and action, with the PCP design leveraging the power of knowledge transfer. We illustrate that our PCP is applicable with, and without, IT-support and give differentiated implications.

Beyond Unidirectional Knowledge Transfer

Using theory on technology transfer and on trust and an in-depth study of nine university departments and nineteen science-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the authors explore the nature and direction of knowledge flows during university–industry R&D collaboration. More specifically, they examine the nature and direction of R&D technological knowledge transfer in collaborations between universities and science-based SMEs and the primary mechanisms regulating such collaborations. The findings suggest that these collaborations are highly recursive processes of technological knowledge exchange, the innovative outcome of which is greater than the sum of the activities of the respective partners during the period concerned. Surprisingly, given the highly strategic nature of the R&D activities, the collaborations were largely regulated by non-contractual measures (trust). The authors discuss the implications of their findings for R&D managers, policy makers and future studies.

Knowledge transfer and the integration of research, policy and practice for patient benefit

Multiple routes are proposed within the nursing and healthcare literature for implementing traditional and reflexive research evidence into practice. Knowledge transfer is a relatively new field of inquiry, which, as both a process and a strategy, can lead to the utilisation of research findings and improved outcomes for patients. Nurse leaders and the public have recognised the need to ensure that evidence-based practice is introduced expeditiously. Nurses working at an advanced level of practice, such as consultant nurses, use all forms of knowledge in sophisticated ways to lead the integration of research findings into diverse practice settings. Within healthcare organisations evidence-based practice is far more likely to occur when it is linked to implementing healthcare policy in practice. The current international, collaborative knowledge transfer research agenda includes the need to learn if knowledge transfer programmes, structures, frameworks and theories are working, and if not, why not. The knowledge transfer process is illustrated by consultant nurses using the knowledge-to-action framework to underpin two recent UK policy examples: safeguarding vulnerable adults and the prevention of Clostridium difficile. For the future, clinical academic partnerships are required to foster a culture of evidence-based practice through practical engagement, and the sharing of nursing knowledge and expertise in a systematic way, both to improve patient care and address the current research—practice gap.

Information transfer: what do decision makers want and need from researchers?

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to undertake a systematic assessment of the need for research-based information by decision-makers working in community-based organizations. It is part of a more comprehensive knowledge transfer and exchange strategy that seeks to understand both the content required and the format/methods by which such information should be presented.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional telephone survey. Questions covered current practices, research use, and demographic information, as well as preferences for receiving research information. Three types of organizations participated: Children's Treatment Centres of Ontario (CTCs); Ontario Community Care Access Centres (CCACs); and District Health Councils (DHCs). The analysis used descriptive statistics and analyses of variance (ANOVA) to describe and explore variations across organizations.ResultsThe participation rate was 70%. The highest perception of barriers to the use of research information was reported by the CCAC respondents, followed by CTCs and DHCs. The CTCs and DHCs reported greater use of research evidence in planning decisions as compared to the CCACs. Four sources of information transfer were consistently identified. These were websites, health-related research journals, electronic mail, and conferences and workshops. Preferred formats for receiving information were executive summaries, abstracts, and original articles.ConclusionThere were a number of similarities across organization type with respect to perceived barriers to research transfer, as well as the types of activities the organizations engaged in to promote research use in decision-making. These findings support the importance of developing interactive, collaborative knowledge transfer strategies, as well as the need to foster relationships with health care decision-makers, practitioners and policymakers.

Promoting Evidence-Based Health Policy, Programming, and Practice for Seniors: Lessons from a National Knowledge Transfer Project

ABSTRACTIn response to Canada's pressing need for effective evidence-based policy, services, and practices specific to seniors, national leaders representing all concerned stakeholders designed and implemented a National Consensus Process to promote spread, exchange, choice, and uptake of research evidence on social and health issues associated with an aging population. This article presents the innovative methods and evaluation of this three-year project, illuminating for all constituencies the challenges and opportunities associated with promoting seniors' independence through collaborative knowledge transfer efforts. A total of 198 organizations and 65 individuals were surveyed at baseline, throughout the intervention, immediately post-intervention, and one year post-intervention. Knowledge from 783 studies was spread to 63,387 people, 90 per cent of whom reported knowledge exchange. Over 50 per cent of stakeholders reported using the research evidence, although processes for facilitating knowledge choice did not achieve consensus. Significant knowledge uptake occurred in two of the four research theme areas.