Knowledge transfer - Definition and Overview

In the Organizational development area of organizational learning, a practical problem is that of knowledge transfer, how to get some packet of knowledge, that exists in one part of the organization, into another (or all other) parts of the organization. It's more than just a communications problem. If it were merely that, then a memo, an e-mail or a meeting would accomplish the knowledge transfer.

Challenges

What complicates knowledge transfer? There are many factors, including:

• inability to recognize & articulate 'compiled' or highly intuitive competencies
• geography
• language
• areas of expertise
• internal conflicts (e.g., professional territoriality)
• generational differences
• union-management relations
• incentives
• the use of visual representations to transfer knowledge (Knowledge visualization)
• problems with sharing beliefs, assumptions, heuristics and cultural norms

Process

• identifying the key knowledge holders within the organization
• motivating them to share
• designing a sharing mechanism to facilitate the transfer
• executing the transfer plan
• measuring to ensure the transfer
• applying the knowledge transferred

Practices

• mentoring
• guided experience
• simulation
• guided experimentation
• work shaddowing
• paired work

Links

• Leonard, D and Swap, w. 2005 Deep Smarts. How to cultivate and transfer enduring business wisdom. HBSP. ISBN 1591395283
• http://opensource.mit.edu/papers/Willpope.pdf
• Knowledge Transfer in Information Systems Engineering  (http://www.ida.his.se/ida/research/groups/isee/publications/per_backlund.pdf)

Also see

• Knowledge Management
• instructional theory