Organizational Knowledge Transfer Research Articles

The Relationship of Trust, Knowledge Transfer and the Person-Job and Person-Organization Fit as Moderating Effects

Introduction/Main Objectives: The study aims to assess the relationship between trust and knowledge transfer with PJ-fit and PO-fit as moderating variables. Background Problems: There are two divergent perspectives on knowledge transfer, and trust has been posited as a potential unifying factor that could mitigate these differences. Trust, in many studies, has been regarded as a crucial factor for knowledge transfer, although there is a blurred understanding between trust and distrust. PJ-fit and PO-fit are moderating variables in the relationship between trust and knowledge transfer. Novelty: Most PJ-fit and PO-fit studies discuss trust and knowledge transfer. This makes the constructs of PJ-fit and PO-fit, as the moderating variables between trust and knowledge transfer, a novelty in this research. Research Methods: This survey analyzed the employees in companies’ information and technology divisions and collected data from 271 participants. The data was analyzed with PLS-SEM 3.29. Finding/Results: The result revealed that trust significantly impacts knowledge transfer, with the relationship being strengthened by PJ-fit. Conclusion: The optimal fit of knowledge, skills, and abilities is essential in promoting the relationship between trust and knowledge transfer in organizations that require employees who are oriented toward high-tech abilities. Therefore, recruitment based on PJ-fit may be more suitable when looking for an employee with a strong emphasis on expertise.

Procedures for transferring organizational knowledge during generational change: A systematic review

The loss of organizational knowledge has emerged as a prevalent issue for 21st-century organizations. This systematic review aims to scrutinize knowledge transfer procedures applied to individuals in managerial and intermediate positions during generational change or knowledge management initiatives. Following the PRISMA statement [1], this review progressed through four stages, applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, and ultimately identifying 28 articles for the final analysis. Descriptive indicators and content-related metrics were employed in the study. Key findings include: (1) predominant investment in knowledge retention studies and procedure design is observed among large companies, primarily in the secondary sector; (2) digitalization emerges as a critical aspect of effective organizational knowledge transfer procedures and protocols; (3) intra-organizational communication styles are predominantly employed for knowledge transfer; (4) organizations prefer a collective approach to transferring both tacit and explicit knowledge. In summary, this research offers fresh insights into a pivotal area of business management, showcasing originality in its exploration of knowledge transfer within the realms of generational change and knowledge management.

Reducing Industrial Water Consumption: The Impact of Organizational Learning

Using factory-level data from a large multinational manufacturer, we examine the effects of both organizational experience and knowledge transfer on an increasingly critical environmental performance measure, the consumption of water required for manufacturing. We estimate the direct effects on water consumption from in-factory cumulative production experience and the vicarious learning from peer factories in the same product category. We consider vicarious learning from three potential sources: observation of peer factories’ cumulative production experience; and benchmarking of water consumption performance with the best and worst performing peer factories. For each learning channel, we test for the moderating effects of water scarcity and geographic proximity. We find that factories learn to reduce their water consumption from their own experience but at a greater rate in water-scarce locations. Although we find that factories learn significantly from observing the cumulative production experience of peer factories, this effect does not hold in water-scarce locations or across geographic regions. We document that learning effects from observing others’ experience are quite distinct from learning effects by benchmarking others’ performance. We find vicarious learning effects from benchmarking the best-performing peer factories result in significant reductions in water consumption, and this effect is greater when the factory is in a water-scarce location, and when benchmarking other regions rather than within the same region. Finally, we find less significant vicarious learning from observing the worst-performing factories.

Structural Analysis of the Relationship between Managers' Knowledge-Based Leadership and Knowledge Transfer Motivation, Relying on the Mediating Role of Organizational Learning Culture and Knowledge Transfer Climate

Structural Analysis of the Relationship between Managers' Knowledge-Based Leadership and Knowledge Transfer Motivation, Relying on the Mediating Role of Organizational Learning Culture and Knowledge Transfer Climate

The impact of perceived organizational support on employees’ knowledge transfer and innovative behavior: comparisons between Taiwan and mainland China

This study investigates the correlations among perceived organizational support (POS), self-efficacy, knowledge transfer, and innovative behaviors of employees in the information service companies of Taiwan and mainland China using goal-oriented behavior and social identity theory. A structural model was built, and data were collected through a survey conducted in two rounds, two months apart, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicate that POS significantly affects innovation behavior and self-efficacy in both regions, and self-efficacy plays a key mediating role in the research model. However, the relationship between POS and knowledge transfer was non-significant for mainland China. The study also reveals that the culture of knowledge sharing in the organization can promote employees’ innovation, knowledge sharing behavior, communication, and knowledge transfer. The findings imply that managers should provide organizational support to improve employees’ innovative minds and self-belief, particularly during the pandemic. This research fills a theoretical gap by applying Western theories in an Eastern context and broadening the generalization of the theory. It provides practical implications for improving the quality of human resources by suggesting that managers should provide organizational support to improve employees’ innovative minds and self-belief, particularly during a pandemic. Additionally, it contributes to the literature by examining how cross-cultural differences affect the relationships among POS, self-efficacy, knowledge transfer, and innovative behavior. This study also enriches the literature about employees in particular regions and their service innovation behaviors.

Knowledge Transfer Within Organizations: Mechanisms, Motivation, and Consideration.

Knowledge transfer-the extent to which one unit learns from or is affected by the experience of another-has the potential to improve the performance of organizations. Through knowledge transfer, developments made in one unit of an organization can benefit others. Studies have found, however, considerable variation in the extent to which knowledge transfers across organizational units. In some cases, knowledge transfers seamlessly, whereas in others, knowledge transfer is far from complete. This article reviews research with the aim of explaining the variation observed in knowledge transfer. Key factors identified as explaining the variation include knowledge transfer opportunities, knowledge characteristics, mechanisms for knowledge transfer, motivation for transfer, and the depth of consideration of knowledge. These factors are integrated into a theoretical framework that predicts when knowledge transfer will be successful. The article concludes with a discussion of directions for future research to increase our understanding of knowledge transfer in organizations.

Investigating visibility affordance, knowledge transfer and employee agility performance. A study of enterprise social media

The research analyzes the associations between enterprise social media (ESM) visibility affordance (i.e., message transparency and network translucence) and employee agility performance through knowledge transfer (knowledge acquisition and knowledge provision) in organizations that have applied ESM. Utilizing the communication visibility theory, this study further examines the moderating role of task interdependence in strengthening the interactions between knowledge transfer and employee agility performance. We conducted two studies, one in China (347 samples) and the other in the United States (335 samples) to cross-culturally test our research model. Our results indicate that message transparency and network translucence have significant positive associations with employee agility performance in both studies. The findings also show that knowledge provision mediates the relationships between ESM visibility affordance and employee agility performance in both samples, while knowledge acquisition mediates the association between ESM visibility affordance and employee agility performance in the Chinese sample but not in the U.S. sample. Further, task interdependence moderates the link between knowledge acquisition and employee agility performance in China and the United States. However, task interdependence moderates the relationship between knowledge provision and employee agility performance in China but not in the United States. The implications for theory and management are also discussed.

Toward Digital Transformation and Business Model Innovation: The Nexus between Leadership, Organizational Agility, and Knowledge Transfer

The post-pandemic age has heightened the importance of digitalizing organizational practices and fostering innovation for SMEs to ensure resilient business operations in a volatile work environment. This research paper examines the impact of digital transformation leadership on the digitalization of business practices and the development of innovative business models while considering the roles of organizational agility and knowledge transfer. A survey of 270 employees from SMEs in Lebanon was conducted using the convenience sampling technique. Data analysis was performed quantitatively through Partial Least Squares—Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results reveal that adopting digital transformation leadership fosters organizational agility, enabling effective digital transformation and business model innovation with a robust knowledge transfer system. This study contributes to the fields of digital transformation and innovation, and offers practical insights for SME managers navigating uncertainties and market volatility in the post-pandemic period.

Knowledge and perception of medication errors among health care workers in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria, Kaduna State, North-west Nigeria.

Medication errors (MEs) are important, often overlooked forms of medical error that are associated with morbidity and mortality in health care settings. Among health care workers, knowledge, attitude and perception may affect reporting of MEs. The aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge and perception of MEs among health care workers in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 138 health care workers selected randomly through a stratified sampling. Their responses were collected using pre-tested, self-administered questionnaires and analysed using the Statsitical Package for the Social Sciences. The numerical variables were summarised as means and standard deviations, whereas categorical variables were presented as frequencies and percentages. The Chi-square test was used to test for associations at P < 0.05. All the respondents heard of MEs and up to 108 (78.3%) correctly defined them. While only 121 (87.7%) respondents had fair to good knowledge about MEs, all of them had good perception of them. Major types of MEs known by the respondents were knowledge-based errors (79.7%), rule-based errors (52.9%), action-based errors (67.4%) and memory-based errors (55.8%). The causes of MEs identified were communication problems (88.4%), poor organizational knowledge transfer (63.8%), heavy workload (80.4%) and not reading instructions carefully (63.0%). There was no statistically significant association between the level of knowledge on MEs and sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents. Knowledge and perceptions of MEs were good among our respondents. Adequate mechanism (s) should be put in place to encourage the reporting of MEs whenever they occur to promote patient safety and improve health outcomes.

The Effect of Technology Readiness on Individual Absorptive Capacity Toward Learning Behavior in Australian Universities

Recipient's absorptive capacity (ACAP) is a barrier to knowledge transfer in organizations. The technology readiness (TR) dimensions measure an individual's technological beliefs and aligns with the individual's ACAP. The purpose of this research is to study if technological beliefs have a causal effect onto individual learning capability and behaviour. University's knowledge transfer makes them an ideal context for this research. Through surveying individuals and conducting statistical analysis, the authors provide empirical evidence that there is a causal effect from the TR dimensions to individuals ACAP and their technological learning behaviour at the individual level. The findings could potentially help leverage technology to address said recipient's ACAP. It would also benefit the development of new technologies, in particular in e-learning and tailoring pedagogy.

A Study of Knowledge Transfer and Organizational Culture in Two Project-Intensive IT Organizations

Facilitating knowledge transfer in organizations has proven to be challenging, and one of the most prominent obstacles for successful knowledge transfer is the organization’s culture. Therefore, the core objective of this study was to investigate how organizational culture affects the knowledge transfer process in project-intensive IT organizations. We conducted a multiple-case study with in-depth semi-structured interviews from two IT consultancy companies. We identified five main categories of factors within organizational culture that have a significant effect on knowledge transfer in project-intensive IT companies: organizational values, relationships and communication, leadership, project characteristics, and individual factors. The role of organizational values, cooperation, and leaders’ behavior are all crucial for successful knowledge transfer. Organizational values must support knowledge transfer. Cooperation creates the best environment for knowledge transfer, and leaders must be aware of their behavior.

ICT knowledge transfer in complex organizations: Investigating antecedents of potential absorptive capacity

ABSTRACT This paper is an empirical analysis of ICT knowledge transfer in a large commercial bank. We assess how the ‘potential absorptive capacity’ (PAC) affects the effectiveness of ICT knowledge transfer. The study design includes interview data with 10 branch managers of the bank and a survey of the highest-ranking manager in each of the bank’s 50 largest branches. The study revealed that the parameters most significant to the effective intra-branch diffusion of ICT technical knowledge are formalization, perceived procedural justice, and motivation, and these relationships are explained by their link to PAC. The parameter informal relationships, however, was found to not be a significant factor. In addition, while some variables, such as procedural justice, have been identified in previous studies to affect successful knowledge transfer, we argue in our study that these variables are important mainly because they influence potential absorptive capacity (i.e., PAC).

Knowledge management in higher education: Theory and practice

Knowledge is now recognized as the driving force behind economic growth and productivity. The purpose of the article is study of the theory and practice of knowledge management as the basis for the competitive advantage of a modern organization on the example of a specific institution of higher education — Astrakhan State University. The methodological basis was a categorical apparatus of the knowledge management system, methods of description, analysis, synthesis, content analysis, as well as a systematic approach in relation to the description of the experience of a particular university. As part of the study, the systematization of theoretical views on the management of explicit and implicit knowledge was carried out, the features of this process in the higher education system were studied, and the barriers that prevent the free transfer of knowledge in organizations of this type were identified. The data considered in the article can be used in the institutions of higher education in Russia in the development of strategies in the relevant field of activity.

Team Disseminative Capacity: Exploring the Role of Collaborative Processes in Creating, Implementing, and Embedding New Knowledge

Organizations strongly rely on their teams’ abilities to absorb and disseminate knowledge to remain innovative. Prior research has focused primarily on knowledge absorption and the few studies investigating disseminative capacity (DCAP) identified disseminator and recipient characteristics as contributing factors toward effective organizational knowledge transfer. This study investigates the concept of team DCAP by shifting the focus to the role of disseminator–recipient interactions and collaborations during the dissemination process. Adopting a process perspective, we examine five technology transfer initiatives within a large multinational firm in Australia by collecting narratives from 34 members of both disseminating and recipient teams on the emergent processes through which each technology is created, transferred, and embedded at the recipient site. Findings reveal that in instances when knowledge is initially co-created through perspective taking and collective sensemaking among disseminators and recipients, such collaborations have a spill-over effect and continue throughout subsequent implementation and embedding processes, resulting in more effective transfer initiatives. This study contributes new and important insights for transforming the role of recipients from passive receivers of knowledge at the end of the transfer process as often depicted in previous studies, to active collaborators from the very beginning of the transfer process, starting with knowledge co-creation.

Keberhasilan Transfer Pengetahuan dalam Suksesi Kepemimpinan melalui Pembelajaran Intergenerasional

&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Succession process of the next family business generation becomes an interesting phenomenon &lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;to be developed together with the process of adapting organizational knowledge. Organizational knowledge transfer is a difficult process in leadership succession. There are many factors that must be prepared in advance so that the business can achieve sustainability. This study uses a qualitative approach through in-depth interviews with several generations of successors in family businesses in Yogyakarta whose business scale is relatively the same. Triangulation of sources and member checks are carried out to ensure the validity of the data from this study. The result is that intergenerational learning has an important role in the succession process of family business leadership. Knowledge transfer in family business succession through intergenerational learning will facilitate the next generation in the process of adaptation to continue the previous leadership&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;

Projektowanie efektywnego transferu wiedzy w organizacji - studium przypadku na podstawie projektów migracyjnych realizowanych w dwóch organizacjach typu SSC

This article deals with the subject of knowledge transfer in an organisation, with particular emphasis on the description of tools used for knowledge transfer, as well as the possibility of using theoretical models to design effective knowledge transfer in organisations, such as shared services centres (SSCs). The main objectives of this research were to identify knowledge transfer tools used in SSC companies and check the possibility of using the Knowledge to Action (KTA) model to design effective knowledge transfer in an organisation. The analysis was based on qualitative research carried out in two SSC organisations, with the results showing that both organisations use a variety of knowledge transfer tools, such as in-house training or development programmes using new technologies, and confirmed that the KTA model can be used to design the knowledge transfer process. As the data analysis shows, the human factor plays a very important role in the transfer of knowledge - primarily the skills of people involved in the transfer of knowledge and their motivation to transfer it and share it with other employees. The obtained results can be treated as an indication for organisations in the area of knowledge management, and in particular in the field of designing effective knowledge transfer. Creating an effective knowledge management strategy allows a company to retain knowledge, and as a result contributes to strengthening its market position.

The Effect of Perceived Support on Repatriate Knowledge Transfer in MNCs: The Mediating Role of Repatriate Adjustment

Aim/Purpose: The present study examines the effect of perceived organisational and co-worker support on the adjustment of repatriates and its impact on their intention to transfer knowledge in multinational companies (MNCs). It also examines the relationship between perceived organisational support, co-worker support, and knowledge transfer through the mediating role of repatriate adjustment. Background: The ability of acquiring and utilising international knowledge is one of the core competitive advantages of MNCs. This knowledge is transferred by MNCs across their subsidiaries efficiently through repatriates, which will result in superior performance when compared to their local competitors. But in MNCs the expatriation process has been given more emphasis than the repatriation process; therefore, there is limited knowledge about repatriation knowledge transfer. Practically, the knowledge transferred by repatriates is not managed properly by the MNCs. Methodology: The proposed model was supported by Uncertainty Reduction Theory, Organisational Socialisation Theory, Organisational Support Theory, and Socialisation Resource Theory. The data were gathered from 246 repatriates working in Indian MNCs in the manufacturing and information technology sectors who had been on an international assignment for at least one year. The data obtained were analysed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using AMOS 21 software. Contribution: The present study expands prior research on repatriate knowledge transfer by empirically investigating the mediating role of repatriate adjustment between perceived support and repatriate knowledge transfer in MNCs. The present study also highlights that organisational and co-worker support during repatriation is beneficial for repatriate knowledge transfer. It is important that MNCs initiate support practices during repatriation to motivate repatriates to transfer international knowledge. Findings: The results revealed that both perceived organisational and co-worker support had a significant role in predicting repatriate adjustment in MNCs. Furthermore, the results also revealed that perceived organisational and co-worker support increases repatriate knowledge transfer through repatriate adjustment in MNCs. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study indicates the role of management in motivating repatriates to transfer their knowledge to the organisation. The management of MNCs develop HR policies and strategies leading to high perceived organisational support, co-worker support, and repatriate adjustment. They need to pay particular attention to the factors that affect the repatriates’ intention to share knowledge with others in the organisation. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers can use the validated measurement instrument which could be essential for the advancement of future empirical research on repatriate knowledge transfer. Impact on Society: The present study will assist MNCs in managing their repatriates during the repatriation process by developing an appropriate repatriation support system. This will help the repatriates to better adjust to their repatriation process which will motivate them to transfer the acquired knowledge. Future Research: Future research can adopt a longitudinal style to test the different levels of the adjustment process which will help in better understanding the repatriate adjustment process. Additionally, this model can be tested with the repatriates of other countries and in diverse cultures to confirm its external validity. Furthermore, future research can be done with the repatriates who go on an international assignment through their own initiative (self-initiated expatriates).

Organizational integration mechanisms and knowledge transfer effectiveness in MNCs: The moderating role of cross-national distance

Building on the knowledge-based view of the firm, this study investigates the usefulness of two organizational integration mechanisms (i.e., formal inter-unit communication and informal connectedness and shared values) to effectively transfer knowledge between MNC units and explores how their effectiveness is affected by different dimensions of cross-national distance. Data on 131 knowledge transfer relationships between units of five Spanish MNCs were used to test the hypotheses. Results reveal that, although both mechanisms are positively associated with knowledge transfer effectiveness, the effect of formal inter-unit communication is comparatively higher. Moreover, this formal integration mechanism seems to work independently of the type of distance that separates the units involved in the transfer. By contrast, the effectiveness of informal integration mechanisms is influenced by economic, geographic and administrative dimensions of distance. Adopting a contingent perspective, and taking into account the multidimensional character of cross-national distance, this article contributes to the literature on knowledge management in international firms by showing which organizational integration mechanisms are more useful to transfer knowledge within MNCs depending on the type of distance that separate their units.

Improving knowledge transfer through enterprise social media: the mediating role of transactive memory

PurposeEnterprise social media can be the organizational transactive memory in which the knowledge dialogue provides users with the metaknowledge to support knowledge transfer. The purpose of this study is to examine a mediation model to show how perceived critical mass, openness and affiliation climate affect organizational knowledge transfer through the mediation of improving the metaknowledge of who knows what and whom.Design/methodology/approachTo test the mediation model and corresponding hypotheses, this study employs structural equation modeling analysis using 264 valid questionnaires.FindingsThe study found the two mediators fully explained the effects of the three preconditions on knowledge transfer.Originality/valueThese results help us to better understand the benefits of enterprise social media and the functions of transactive memory in organizations.

The mediation role of the PMO in the transfer of knowledge between projects – a case study of five PMOs

PurposeThis article describes advances in the study of knowledge transfer (KT) in project-based organizations (PBOs). Project management offices (PMOs) have both a moderation role and a mediation role to play in KT between projects. In order to improve KT between projects, this paper explores the mediation role of the PMO in the transfer of knowledge with different levels of articulability. The aim is to improve the usability of transferred knowledge.Design/methodology/approachThe case study method was used to investigate KT in five-divisional PMOs within a multinational engineering and project management PBO. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted and the results were analysed using ATLAS.Ti (a computer-aided qualitative data analysis software).FindingsThe findings show that it is the way in which the PMO structures knowledge management (KM) infrastructure and processes, which determines the success of its mediation role in the transfer of tacit and explicit knowledge between projects. The articulability of knowledge influences the PMO's mediation role and the PMO's mediation role in turn improves the usability of knowledge, thereby creating a conducive environment for a competitive advantage.Originality/valueThis study offers a framework to assist scholars and practitioners to understand the mediation role of the PMO in the transfer of knowledge with different levels of articulability within the projects environment. Such understanding can improve the usability of transferred knowledge, thereby creating a competitive edge for a PBO. The study shows that the PMO can be used as an instrument for KT between projects, a theme that was not found in literature. The paper thus offers new empirical information.