Understanding Of Knowledge Transfer Research Articles

Knowledge transfer to aid social coding: The case of Stack Overflow

Focused online question and answer (Q&A) communities aid social coding. Despite the growing importance of social coding, knowledge transfer in this context remains under-researched. Our primary objective is to understand the knowledge transfer process in this context. We conceptualize knowledge transfer as a process that is impacted by the prior knowledge transfer interactions (network) among participants and is augmented by gamification. We argue that social capital resulting from prior knowledge transfer network interactions impact answer quality. Moreover, we also argue that the relationship between social capital and answer quality is moderated by the complexity of the knowledge transferred. Hence, our models draw from multiple related research streams: online communities, knowledge transfer, social capital, and gamification. These models are empirically tested using data from Stack Overflow (SO), a popular online Q&A community that aids social coding. Our results help to understand knowledge transfer in Q&A communities that aid social coding. Moreover, our results have implications for research on other types of Q&A communities and can inform development of platforms to support online communities.

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.

Within or across Auditors? Understanding Knowledge Transfer in Audit Production

SYNOPSIS Knowledge transfer affects audit production: it is an underlying reason for specialization premiums and economies of scale. Using measures of client-level comparability to proxy for the internal (within-auditor) and external (across auditors) knowledge transfers that occur during audit production, our results indicate that internal knowledge transfer subsumes external knowledge transfer. Although this result may seem intuitive, recent research implies external knowledge transfer significantly impacts audit efficiency. Thus, the dominance of internal knowledge transfer is important to document. We also provide evidence that the benefits of auditor specialization are not uniform, as typically modeled in the literature. Specifically, we provide evidence that knowledge transfer enhances the efficiencies from auditor specialization. Finally, we find knowledge transfer is associated with greater audit efficiency, irrespective of auditor specialization or industry homogeneity. Overall, our results reaffirm the importance of within-auditor knowledge transfer and highlight the importance of considering client characteristics when examining knowledge transfer. Data Availability: Data are available from the public sources listed in the text. JEL Classifications: M41; M42.

Knowledge exchange sessions on primary health care research findings in public libraries: A qualitative study with citizens in Quebec.

Little is known about knowledge transfer with the public. We explored how citizens, physicians, and communication specialists understand knowledge transfer in public spaces such as libraries. The initial study aimed at evaluating the scaling up of a program on disseminating research findings on potentially inappropriate medication. Twenty-two citizen workshops were offered by 16 physicians and facilitated by 6 communication specialists to 322 citizens in libraries during spring 2019. We did secondary analysis using the recorded workshop discussions to explore the type of knowledge participants used. Participants described four kinds of knowledge: biomedical, sociocultural beliefs, value-based reasoning, and institutional knowledge. Biomedical knowledge included scientific evidence, research methods, clinical guidelines, and access to research outcomes. Participants discussed beliefs in scientific progress, innovative clinical practices, and doctors' behaviours. Participants discussed values related to reliability, transparency, respect for patient autonomy and participation in decision-making. All categories of participants used these four kinds of knowledge. However, their descriptions varied particularly for biomedical knowledge which was described by physician-speakers and communication specialists-facilitators as scientific evidence, epidemiological and clinical practice guidelines, and pathophysiological theories. Communication specialists-facilitators also described scientific journalistic sources and scientific journalistic reports as proxies of scientific evidence. Citizens described biomedical knowledge in terms of knowledge to make informed decisions. These findings offer insights for future scientific knowledge exchange interventions with the public.

Knowledge sharing enablers, processes, and innovation capability in a telecommunications company in an emerging market economy: a mixed-methods case study approach

Purpose This study aims to explore the interaction among individual factors (enjoyment in helping others and knowledge self-efficacy), organizational factors (top management support and organizational rewards) and the use of information and communication technology factors as enablers of knowledge-sharing (KS) processes (knowledge donating and knowledge collecting) and firm innovation capability (IC) in a telecommunications company in an emerging market economy, namely, Bahrain. Design/methodology/approach The study used a mixed-methods case study approach. It used answers from 77 employees’ questionnaires and applied the partial least squares structural equation modeling method to test the research model. Several in-depth semidirective interviews were conducted with managers from different levels, functions and educational qualifications to address additional social, cultural, structural and strategic issues related to KS and IC. Findings The results indicated that enjoyment of helping others correlates with knowledge collection. Top management support had a substantial connection with knowledge donation, which had a robust positive relationship with firm IC. The interviews showed that moving toward a customer-centric strategy, policies, procedures and KS culture in a big organization with many business silos required tremendous effort and pain. People’s ability, willingness and readiness to share knowledge heavily depend on the corporate culture. Employee resistance to change posed a significant challenge. Originality/value Researchers have rarely used a case study or a mixed-methods case study approach to explore KS and IC. This study aims to fill this gap using a mixed-methods approach to examine KS enablers, processes and IC in a developing country’s social and cultural context, Bahrain. The work brings together new ways of looking at things and figuring out what they mean to understand knowledge transfer and IC in a telecommunications company. The company must incur changes and additions to its KS mechanisms to inspire innovation.

Network distance and centrality shape social learning in the classroom.

Social learning can help individuals to efficiently acquire knowledge and skills. In the classroom, social learning often takes place in structured settings in which peers help, support, and tutor each other. Several protocols have been developed to make peer-assisted learning (PAL) more efficient. However, little attention has been devoted to how the transfer of knowledge is shaped by the social relationship between peers, and their relative positions in the social network. To address this gap, we combined social network analysis with an experimental social learning task, in which pupils (N = 135; aged 11-19) could use social information from their peers to improve their performance. We show that pupils' tendencies to use social information substantially decrease with the peer's distance in the social network. This effect is mediated by subjective closeness: pupils report feeling much closer to their friends than to their non-friends, and closeness strongly enhances social learning. Our results further show that, above and beyond these effects of network distance, social information use increases with the peer's social status (network centrality) and perceived smartness. Our results provide empirical evidence in a naturalistic setting for the role of specific network attributes in shaping pupils' willingness to learn from their peers. These findings illustrate the value of a social network approach for understanding knowledge transfer in the classroom and can be used to structure more effective peer learning. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Knowledge transfer in educational institutions in light of social epistemology

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0in;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;
 mso-border-shadow:yes">The field of social epistemology has been producing new
 discourses about knowledge generation and transfer while not forgetting the
 social aspects of them. One of its contributions is the acknowledgment of
 epistemic agents other than some lone subject in transferring and generating
 knowledge. For many centuries, people have been receiving knowledge through
 educational institutions. Social epistemology now allows us to reexamine the
 epistemology of education, primarily since education is usually made up of
 testimonial knowledge<span style="color: rgb(74, 74, 74); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">—</span>knowledge that is “transferred” by teachers to students simply
 by the account of the teacher’s position as the educator. Philosophy of
 education, up until recently, has been concerned with types of education
 ideally pursued by students. However, social epistemology has turned our
 attention to aspects beyond normativity and set about the questioning of the
 nature of knowledge in education in the first place. We will see how, using
 social epistemology as a framework, new approaches to inquire about education
 and the transfer of knowledge can be determined. This paper will examine the
 changes in which we understand knowledge transfer done by educational
 institutions, particularly schools, considering the advances made in the field
 of social epistemology. The hopes of the exploration carried out in this paper
 are to reassess the way we go about the philosophy of education and to ignite
 further discussions concerning social epistemology and its impact on education.<o:p></o:p></p>

Knowledge transfer in educational institutions in light of social epistemology

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:0in;border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;
 mso-border-shadow:yes">The field of social epistemology has been producing new
 discourses about knowledge generation and transfer while not forgetting the
 social aspects of them. One of its contributions is the acknowledgment of
 epistemic agents other than some lone subject in transferring and generating
 knowledge. For many centuries, people have been receiving knowledge through
 educational institutions. Social epistemology now allows us to reexamine the
 epistemology of education, primarily since education is usually made up of
 testimonial knowledge<span style="color: rgb(74, 74, 74); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">—</span>knowledge that is “transferred” by teachers to students simply
 by the account of the teacher’s position as the educator. Philosophy of
 education, up until recently, has been concerned with types of education
 ideally pursued by students. However, social epistemology has turned our
 attention to aspects beyond normativity and set about the questioning of the
 nature of knowledge in education in the first place. We will see how, using
 social epistemology as a framework, new approaches to inquire about education
 and the transfer of knowledge can be determined. This paper will examine the
 changes in which we understand knowledge transfer done by educational
 institutions, particularly schools, considering the advances made in the field
 of social epistemology. The hopes of the exploration carried out in this paper
 are to reassess the way we go about the philosophy of education and to ignite
 further discussions concerning social epistemology and its impact on education.<o:p></o:p></p>

Understanding knowledge transfer and knowledge management through social learning

PurposeUsing social learning theory and the model of innovation diffusion, this study aims to provide reflections on how new information and knowledge can be shared and adopted by farmers in collectivist rural areas.Design/methodology/approachFirstly, the researcher selected 76 farmers from four rural villages in Perak, Malaysia, and, using semi-structured, probing interviews, explored the underlying factors that contribute to information and knowledge transfer. Secondly, the researcher analysed 452 questionnaires to validate the qualitative interview findings. Thirdly, the researcher analysed 487 questionnaires after nine months to determine whether differences had occurred in knowledge acceptance and adoption.FindingsSocial learning and local integration play prevalent roles in information and knowledge spread among individuals. However, the data also suggest that care must be taken to ensure that the knowledge spread does not jeopardise the prevailing collective structure; rather, it must begin with innovators who show evidence of improved yield.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest strategies for researchers and practitioners to transfer knowledge to farming communities using innovators and the social learning process.Social implicationsMembers of a collectivist society often find it difficult to deviate from the norm; therefore, understanding how local integration, sequencing of information and knowledge spread can be accomplished through proper protocols and ethics is important.Originality/valueWhile prior research has produced insights into knowledge management among individuals, the field still lacks a comprehensive understanding of the germinal stages of how individuals initiate norm-breaking behaviour while continuing to adhere to societal norms.

Understanding knowledge transfer in M&As: An integration of resource orchestration and social capital theories and evidence from UK acquiring firms

Whileknowledge transfer is one of the key components in determining Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) success, the current M&A literature has produced inconsistent findings regarding its antecedents and consequences. To address this research gap, this study explores the roles of functional integration and shared goals in facilitating knowledge transfer, which will in turn determine M&A success. To provide a more nuanced understanding of knowledge transfer, this study examines bilateral knowledge flows (e.g., knowledge transfer to a target firm from the UK acquiring firm and knowledge transfer from a target firm to the UK acquiring firm). Our research framework is built upon two different theoretical perspectives, namely resource orchestration and social capital theories. Our propositions were tested empirically across a sample of 131 UK cross-border M&A firms. Our results reveal that the affirmative roles of functional integration and shared goals in increasing knowledge transfer both to and from a target firm are confirmed and that knowledge transfer to the target firm is deemed decisive for M&A success. Based on the findings, we discuss theoretical and practical implications, followed by limitations and future study consideration.

THE INTERACTIVE MODEL OF THE STATE REGULATION OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER TO THE NATIONAL ECONOMY AS A FACTOR OF ITS INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Topicality. In modern conditions, science and technology play a decisive role in the effective development of the economies of advanced countries. At the same time, in Ukraine during the years of independence science has lost its influence on socio-economic development due to the lack of an effective system of converting research results into concrete economic achievements, and the state's inability to create the necessary conditions and incentives for knowledge transfer.Aim and tasks. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the interactive model of scientific knowledge transfer to the national economy as a basis for developing practical recommendations for state regulation in this sphere, in the conditions of transition to the knowledge economy.Research results. The conceptual base of the interactive model of scientific knowledge transfer to the national economy is substantiated. In particular, the characteristics of the knowledge economy that determine the features of state regulation of the scientific knowledge transfer, namely, the emphasis on the dissemination of knowledge, not on their creation; resource approach to knowledge, and their focus on action. The classification of types of knowledge in the knowledge economy is given, and the special role of implicit knowledge is emphasized, which requires direct contact for its transfer or active participation and presence of persons who possess it. The models of the innovation process in the knowledge economy are considered and the predominance of the interactive model of innovations is shown, according to which the innovation arises as a result of interaction between knowledge producers and consumers of knowledge, which exchange both with codified and implicit knowledge.An interactive model of scientific knowledge transfer to the national economy has been developed and its distinction from the linear model of scientific knowledge transfer has been shown. Approaches to the state regulation of the scientific knowledge transfer have been formed, according to linear and interactive models based on the concept of "market failures".Conclusion. State regulation of the scientific knowledge transfer to the national economy of Ukraine should move away from a narrow understanding of this activity as the commercialization of technology, and reduction of regulatory measures in this area to intellectual property rights protection and "technology push" measures. There is a need for a broader understanding of knowledge transfer as an interactive process involving interaction between different stakeholders, and state regulation in this area should be aimed at mitigation the risks associated with the coordination and network failure of knowledge transfer actors; funding infrastructure and activities aimed at stimulating interaction between knowledge transfer stakeholders, encouraging the exchange and joint creation of knowledge.

Prejudiced Commodities: Understanding Knowledge Transfer from India to Britain through Printed and Painted Calicoes, 1720-1780

The eighteenth-century trade in calico between Europe and India was a function of global textile manufacture, exchange, and consumption on multiple levels. This trade had several political, cultural, and economic consequences— the most important of which, I suggest, was the transfer of useful knowledge from artisanal oral textile traditions in India to the receptive, commercial, and nascent cotton printing industry in Europe.

Innovation as a New Mode of Knowledge Transfer within MNC Subsidiary

With the growth of the multinational corporation (MNC) has come the need to understand how parent companies transfer knowledge to, and manage the operations of, their subsidiaries. Japanese companies in particular have been pioneering in this regard, with techniques such as the Toyota Production System (TPS) for transferring the ethos of Japanese manufacturing and maintaining quality and control in overseas subsidiaries. A great deal has been written about the process of transferring Japanese manufacturing techniques, but much less is understood about how the subsidiaries themselves, which are required to make use of such techniques, actually acquire and incorporate them into their operations. This paper examines how, from the perspective of the subsidiary, knowledge of manufacturing techniques, is transferred from the parent company. An in-depth qualitative research was, therefore, conducted in the subsidiary of a Japanese multinational, involving three main manufacturing initiatives (or philosophies), namely ‘TPS’, ‘TPM’ and ‘TS’. The case data were derived from 52 in-depth interviews with project members, moderate-participant observations, and documentations. This study contributes to our understanding of knowledge transfer in relation to the approaches of adaptation and replication of knowledge within the subsidiary, how the whole process is developed, and also how a new mode of transfer, coined as ‘innovation’ takes place.

Migrants' motivations and intentions to work virtually for their country of origin

PurposeThe authors investigate empirically emigrants' intentions and motivations to work virtually for their country of origin. The study focuses on a country with substantial, persistent emigration and explores theories of diaspora investment motivation and virtual work characteristics.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory questionnaire survey on migrants' intentions and motivations to work virtually for their country of origin was conducted in late 2016 on 3,022 respondents, all emigrants from Lithuania.FindingsMigrants are more likely to engage in virtual work for their country of origin when they experience negative career satisfaction, perceive the country of origin as their home country, belong to a recent wave of migration and possess occupational skills commonly employed in virtual work.Research limitations/implicationsA major limitation of this study conducted on emigrants from one country is that it does not permit generalisation of the results to other countries and regions. It is limited, thus, to making general comparisons to what is known in the literature about migrants from other nations. However, the authors have identified some of the main factors which have theoretical and empirical import for future research, and the auhtors have argued that the results of our study possess only a few inherent geographic limitations. This research is a starting point for studies connecting diaspora motivation and their linkage to virtual work as a mean of human capital gain for the country of origin. The findings inform the conceptual model of virtual workplaces of Kumpikaite-Valiuniene et al. (2014) in relation to migrants and support Nielsen and Riddle's (2010) migrant diaspora investment motivation theory.Practical implicationsUnderstanding how and when organisations will work virtually with migrants from the country of origin as well as knowing more about their needs and expectations for migrants' knowledge, skills and work experience are necessary for future research on the attractiveness and potential of virtual work. As a first step in exploring diaspora motivation for virtual work, the authors recommend conducting qualitative research that would investigate more deeply the various motivations migrants can have for virtual work with their country or origin. This study revealed that females are more motivated to work virtually compared to males. However, gender issues have not been explored in this survey and constitute a future study direction.Social implicationsMoreover, future research should examine what areas of human capital, commercial and cultural knowledge can be productively delivered by migrants working virtually for organisations in the country of origin, which will contribute to greater understanding of knowledge transfer and human capital issues (“brain gain”) in the migration literature. Further, specific forms of virtual work should be studied empirically for the extent that they provide opportunities for self-development and for satisfaction in personal lives and work careers. In addition, the potential business and societal benefits for the country of origin should be studied further through examining diverse dimensions of family, community, work and careers. These studies will expand knowledge of virtual work and related research phenomena and will contribute to this gap in the migration and human resource management (HRM) literature studies.Originality/valueThis research is a starting point for studies connecting diaspora motivation and their linkage to virtual work as a mean of human capital gain for the country of origin. The findings inform the proposed conceptual model of virtual workplaces by Kumpikaite-Valiuniene et al (2014) in relation to migrants and support Nielsen and Riddle (2010) migrant diaspora investment motivation theory. The authors have identified some of the main factors that have theoretical and empirical import for future study. This research topic and new related studies on diaspora have the potential to contribute to the fields of migration, HRM, work and career studies.

Debates around the nature of knowledge transfer: how well do we know about the construct?

PurposeStudies have shown that organizations that are capable of effectively transferring knowledge are often more productive than others. At the same time, there is increasing ambiguity regarding how the nature of knowledge transfer affects performance. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on the nature of knowledge transfer and to understand why it remains a hindrance to most organizations, even now. This conceptual paper tries to identify the major debates surrounding the nature of knowledge transfer in an organization. The challenges and opportunities facing research on knowledge transfer are also elaborated.Design/methodology/approachThis conceptual paper is structured to first provide a brief summary of the construct of knowledge transfer and then provide a detailed account of research that highlights the major findings regarding the nature of knowledge transfer and their relation to the current themes. A selective review of the literature was carried out in this paper instead of a meta-analysis. The papers were identified through popular databases. The authors also examined the references of selected papers to provide a comprehensive review of the construct.FindingsThe debate about codification of knowledge that has stimulated the academic community in organizational studies is still in its infancy. The other debates that have been discussed in this paper have either reached their peak or have given way to newer debates. A clear understanding of the significance of the nature of knowledge transfer is very important at this juncture. The model developed toward the end of the paper assumes a path in this direction. The authors also discuss how research on knowledge has both deepened and expanded the authors’ understanding of knowledge transfer since March and Simon (1958).Originality/valueThe debate in the field of organizational studies around the nature of knowledge transfer has been occurring for some time. However, there has not been any final consensus on the nature of knowledge transfer. While looking at these debates with a critical eye, the authors may appear to be cynical about the prospect of an end to these deliberations. The authors conclude the paper with a model that examines knowledge transfer from a broader perspective that encompasses the various theoretical perspectives.

A systematic review of the antecedents of knowledge transfer: an actant-object view

PurposeWhile numerous studies have studied knowledge transfer (KT) and endeavored to address factors influencing KT, little effort has been made to integrate the findings of prior studies. This paper aims to classify the literature on KT through a detailed exploration of different perspectives of KT inter and intra organizations.Design/methodology/approachUsing actor–network theory (ANT) as the baseline, we conducted a systematic review of KT research to summarize prior KT studies and classify the influential factors on KT. The review covered 115 empirical articles published between 1987 and 2017.FindingsDrawing on the review and ANT guidelines, the authors proposed a conceptual model to categorize KT constitutes into objects including those related to (1) knowledge, (2) knowledge exchange and (3) technology, as well as actants including those related to (4) organization, (5) team/business unit and (6) knowledge sender/receiver.Research limitations/implicationsAdopting a holistic synthesized approach based on ANT, this research puts forward a valid theoretical foundation on further understanding of KT and its antecedents. Indeed, this paper investigates KT inter and intra organizations to recognize and locate the key antecedents of KT, which is of substantial applicability in today’s knowledge-driven economy.Practical implicationsThe findings advance managers and practitioners’ understanding of the important role of actants and objects and their interplay in KT practices.Originality/valueWhile most studies on KT have a narrow focus, this research contributes to holistic understanding of motivational, behavioral, technological and organizational issues related to KT. It also offers a thorough and context-free literature review on KT, which synthesizes the findings of prior studies on KT.

The role of regulatory focus and trustworthiness in knowledge transfer and leakage in alliances

This study investigates the overlooked phenomenon of the role of heterogeneous individuals in understanding knowledge transfer between partners in strategic alliances. We advance the current understanding about the role of boundary spanners in knowledge transfer between partner firms by proposing that the regulatory focus of boundary spanners is a key antecedent of promoting tacit knowledge transfer and preventing knowledge leakage in alliances. Furthermore, we investigate how the perception of partner trustworthiness moderates the role of regulatory focus. Our findings, based on a survey of 142 firms indicate that boundary spanners’ promotion focus and perceived partner trustworthiness have direct positive effects on tacit knowledge transfer. The interaction of prevention focus and trustworthiness has a positive effect on transfer of tacit knowledge and a negative effect on knowledge leakage.

Multimedia-based Presentation: Exploring Interactivity Emergence in Academic Speaking Classroom

<p>The understanding of knowledge transfer and information delivery is recently in the broader scope due to the development of educational technology. The information delivery is not merely done using verbal message; however, multiple modes of presentation such as verbal and auditory representation can also be the alternative of material delivery. The studies featuring the use of multimedia-based presentation are mostly administered to determine its effectiveness to be implemented in the learning process. In contrast, the exploration of the use of multimedia-based presentation toward the way how it can be a means of interaction seems underexplored. Therefore, to make it be more precise, the present study attempts to explore the practice of multimedia-based presentation in academic speaking classroom and to investigate the interactivity emerged during the presentation process. This study deployed qualitative case study design due to the purpose of gaining the in-depth investigation of the use of multimedia-based presentation and its interactivity emergence in academic speaking classroom. The study was conducted in one of the universities in Surakarta majoring English Education where academic speaking becomes one of the subjects. The presentation document along with the presentation process were analyzed in this study. The results of the analysis show that multimedia-based presentation is designed to visualize the material being conveyed through the icons, pictures, and illustrations that are able to represent the information or knowledge in a more concrete way. Moreover, the interactivity is also emerged through the use of multimedia-based presentation as it simplifies the presenter to do the following: gesturing, dialoguing, and describing. The results implies the opportunity for both teachers and academic speaking presenters to innovate how they present the material by using multimedia-based presentation. In practice, multimedia-based presentation along with its interactivity can clarify the materials, grab the audience attention, and stimulate the audience responses.</p>

Learning transfer system inventory (LTSI) and knowledge creation in organizations

PurposeKnowledge creation has received substantial attention by researchers, ever since the Socialization Externalization Combination Internalization (SECI) process was introduced. Learning Transfer System Inventory (LTSI) focuses on learning transfer and has been validated across many countries. The purpose of this paper is to explore the theoretical underpinnings between LTSI and SECI, and LTSI’s role in knowledge amplification as part of the organizational knowledge creation spiral.Design/methodology/approachThe literature on organizational learning, SECI and LTSI is studied, as well as a detailed review of the LTSI constructs as it relates to SECI is completed.FindingsBoth SECI and LTSI emphasize the substantial interplay between explicit and tacit knowledge as the basis of knowledge interchange. The result of this research is a theoretical framework combining LTSI and SECI that can help understand knowledge transfer in terms of interplay of explicit and tacit knowledge and LTSI’s role in knowledge amplification as part of organizational knowledge creation.Practical implicationsIt is proposed that LTSI can potentially be used to gauge the propensity of an organizational environment to create and transfer knowledge ontologically, as well as adopt knowledge management systems. The LTSI constructs into basic knowledge interactions (various combinations of explicit and tacit knowledge conversions) are categorized thus helping practitioners analyze the basic building blocks of learning transfer and knowledge creation. The theoretical association of the two frameworks paves the way for more empirical validation of the SECI model potentially.Originality/valueThis paper is an original attempt to associate SECI with LTSI.

Knowledge transfer in theoretical ecology: Implications for incommensurability, voluntarism, and pluralism

Well-known epistemologies of science have implications for how best to understand knowledge transfer (KT). Yet, to date, no serious attempt has been made to explicate these particular implications. This paper infers views about KT from two popular epistemologies; what we characterize as incommensurabilitist views (after Devitt, 2001; Bird, 2002, 2008; Sankey and Hoyningen-Huene 2013) and voluntarist views (after Van Fraassen, 1984; Dupré, 2001; Chakravartty, 2015). We argue views of the former sort define the methodological, ontological, and social conditions under which research operates within ‘different worlds’ (to use Kuhn's expression), and entail that genuine KTs under those conditions should be difficult or even impossible. By contrast, more liberal voluntarist views recognize epistemological processes that allow for transfers across different sciences even under such conditions. After outlining these antithetical positions, we identify two kinds of KTs present in well-known episodes in the history of ecology—specifically, successful model transfers from chemical kinetics and thermodynamics into areas of ecological research—which reveal significant limitations of incommensurabilitist views. We conclude by discussing how the selected examples support a pluralistic voluntarism regarding KT.