Optimal knowledge transfer methods: a Generation X perspective

How does rapport impact knowledge transfer from older to younger employees? The moderating role of supportive climate

Introduction

Knowledge transfer from older to younger employees plays a key role in lessening knowledge loss and maintaining firms' competitiveness. While the disharmony derived from a salient age difference between younger and older workers hinders such knowledge transfer. This study aims to construct a rapport model to address it.

Methods

Data from 318 respondents in various industries were collected through a questionnaire-based survey to test the proposed model. The research hypotheses were tested using hierarchical multiple regressions.

Results

Our empirical results show that almost all rapport dimensions facilitate such knowledge transfer; The moderating role of supportive climate is strong that it enhances or replaces the effects of rapport dimensions on such knowledge transfer.

Discussion

This study contributes to research on knowledge transfer and rapport by providing a detailed understanding of the relational mechanism of the knowledge transfer from older to younger employees based on a revised model of rapport. It also serves as a reference for firms to leverage rapport-building and a supportive climate to enhance this invaluable knowledge transfer.

Effects of managerial coaching on employees' creative performance: cross-level moderating role of a climate for innovation

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of managerial coaching (MC) on employee creative performance (CP) based on the knowledge transfer theory and the roles of creative process engagement (CPE) and climate for innovation (IC) in the relationship between MC and CP.

Design/methodology/approach

A moderated mediation model was developed and tested on a dyadic sample of 74 leaders and 292 employees working in South China firms.

Findings

The results show that CPE mediates the relationship between MC and CP and IC amplifies the indirect relationship between MC and CP via CPE.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the MC and innovation literature by clarifying the linking role of engagement in transferring MC into employees' CP from a knowledge transfer perspective and identifies the critical role of IC in effectuating the impact of MC on CP.

Exploring the enablers and microfoundations of international knowledge transfer

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the enablers and barriers influencing international knowledge transfer at the team-level in the context of product innovation within an emerging-market multinational enterprise (EMNE) in the insurance industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The research applies an exploratory case study design considering an emerging-market multinational insurance company headquartered in Colombia. Four subsidiaries (El Salvador, Chile, Argentina and Colombia) and the Corporate Office (headquarter) served as the research sites. It also adopts an interpretive research approach providing a grounded theory framework linking international knowledge transfer and product innovation.

Findings

The empirical findings emphasize the central role played by the enablers (i.e. shared vision, empathy and knowledge sources) in facilitating international knowledge transfer, which, in turn, enhances product innovation. More important, however, is the detailed explanation that the paper provides regarding the enablers’ microfoundational antecedents in terms of key activities that are performed at the team-level.

Research limitations/implications

The grounded theory framework was constructed using data collected in a single firm associated with a particular industry and regional context. The study only considered a single aspect of knowledge management (i.e. knowledge transfer). Other aspects of knowledge management systems, such as knowledge creation and knowledge application, should be used for explaining product innovation in EMNEs more comprehensively.

Practical implications

The study suggests a set of enabling conditions and activities that should be adopted by managers of EMNEs to improve international knowledge transfer with the aim of triggering product innovation. This includes the design of strategies for strengthening empathy among geographically dispersed teams by providing opportunities for regular live videoconferences among team members aimed at building close bonds, fostering trust and creating a sense of belonging in which participants get to know each other better and to establish a shared vision and a set of guiding principles and commitments for how the team will work. These suggestions are particularly important today when several multinational enterprises (MNEs) have been forced to rearrange their workplace by replacing face-to-face interactions with virtual work dynamics due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Originality/value

Previous studies have confirmed that international knowledge transfer positively influences MNEs’ innovative performance. However, no studies have been conducted linking both variables in the context of EMNEs in Latin America in the service sector. The research tries to fill this gap. Besides, the paper introduces empathy as a novel enabler for international knowledge transfer and a moderator able to diminish the negative effect that cultural differences and geographical barriers have on the knowledge transfer process.

The Enjoyment of Knowledge Sharing: Impact of Altruism on Tacit Knowledge-Sharing Behavior

Knowledge sharing between individuals is a key process for knowledge-intensive organizations to create value and gain a competitive edge. An individual is in the center of a complex set of factors, which are conducive to the knowledge-sharing process. The purpose of this empirical study is to explain the interaction mechanisms between personality and knowledge-sharing behavior and to examine the mediating effects of willingness to share knowledge and subjective norm. The theory of planned behavior, the social exchange theory, and the big five personality traits theory are combined to explain tacit knowledge-sharing behavior. A survey strategy and purposive sampling was applied, and the analysis was conducted on a sample of 288 employees from Croatia working on knowledge-intensive tasks for which high levels of tacit knowledge sharing are characteristic. A standard online questionnaire consisted of items evaluated on a 7-point Likert-scale, ranging from strongly agree (7) to strongly disagree (1). In the structural model, relationships between altruism, willingness, subjective norm, and tacit knowledge sharing were tested. Confirmatory factor analysis with maximum likelihood estimation was performed by using SEM software AMOS version 23. The findings of the study suggest that altruism has a direct impact on tacit knowledge sharing, reaffirming a relationship with knowledge sharing but distinguishing between sharing of different types of knowledge, assessing tacit knowledge sharing as a construct separate from general knowledge sharing. Our findings suggest that willingness to share is a predictive factor of knowledge sharing behavior between employees, having both direct impact on tacit knowledge sharing and being a mediator between the trait of altruism and tacit knowledge sharing. The mediation test also indicates that altruism has an indirect influence on tacit knowledge sharing when subjective norm was a mediator. The findings suggest that personality traits relying on social capital, such as altruism, have more influence on tacit knowledge sharing compared to personality traits that have accentuated intrinsic components. The study contributes to the better understanding of factors stimulating knowledge-sharing behaviors and provides recommendations based on empirical evidence, which may later be applied in the development of knowledge-sharing leadership styles, employee hiring, and auxiliary initiatives.

Barriers to intergenerational learning: a case of a workplace in Turkey

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine barriers to intergenerational learning.

Design/methodology/approach

The research design is phenomenological, which is a qualitative research method. The study was carried out in a large-scale production facility in the Central District of Kocaeli, Turkey, and the study group of the research consists of 61 participants determined using the maximum diversity technique, one of the purposeful sampling techniques. Significant attention was paid to the examination of employees from all levels and every generation within the hierarchical structure of the company while selecting the working groups for the study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and content analysis method was applied in the analysis of the data. Participants were questioned about barriers to their prejudices.

Findings

As a result of the research, it was observed that barriers “to being a leader for intergenerational learning” were gathered under three distinct themes: personal factors, relational factors and managerial factors. The most frequently stated subthemes of these were: “seeing knowledge and experience as a power” and “lack of job commitment and motivation” under personal factors, “communication problems” under relational factors and “insufficient support or not being supported or encouraged by management” under managerial factors.

Originality/value

This study should be of interest to researchers interested in educational organization use of barriers to intergenerational learning: a case of a workplace in Turkey, use of intergenerational learning by organization and management.

Critical elements for multigenerational teams: a systematic review

Purpose

Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to review the existing literature on multigenerational teams, to evaluate the maturity of the research area, identify key themes, and highlight areas for future research. Generational differences in the workforce are becoming a critical factor, as four generations (Veterans/Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y/Millennials) currently co-exist, and a fifth generation (Generation Z) stands poised to enter the workforce. To manage these differences effectively, organizations must first understand the various generations and, ultimately, their interaction and engagement with each other. Whereas some literature on the differences between the generations and how they pertain to the organizational work environment exists, currently, it is unclear what is known about how these differences impact the performance of multigenerational teams.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a systematic literature review on teams and generational differences. A total of 7 platforms were included, resulting in 121 articles in the final paper set.

Findings

The review confirmed a low presence of literature related to generational differences and teams, implying the knowledge area is currently immature; however, despite this, there is an upward trajectory in publications and citations over the past few years, and existing publications and citations span a number of countries, suggesting a likelihood of significant growth in the research area in the near future. Further, key themes were identified in the current literature relating to commitment, leadership, team dynamics, conflict and wages and work environment.

Research limitations/implications

Only seven platforms were included in this review, although the seven platforms chosen are believed to provide comprehensive coverage of the field. The search strings used were “generation” and “team,” which was the word combination found to produce the largest number of results in preliminary trials; however, it is possible that using additional word combinations might have yielded some additional papers. Finally, the review was limited to English-language articles (or their translations); although, ultimately, only two articles were eliminated because of lack of an English language version.

Practical implications

The findings can be used by organizations to identify factors of interest in managing multigenerational teams, as well as what is currently known about influencing those factors to achieve more positive team outcomes.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this appears to be the first systematic literature review on generational differences in teams. Given the importance of this topic, this review is critical to provide a baseline on what is currently known in the field and existing research and practice gaps.

Developing employee socio-technical flexibility in a multigenerational workforce

This paper identifies how management’s intentional use of participatory management practices can heighten knowledge sharing across a multigenerational workforce through the presence of socio-technical flexibility. In this conceptualization, we identify the value of socio-technical flexibility to effective employee knowledge sharing in three steps. First, we define the prominent characteristics of the current multigenerational workforce. Second, we define the behavioral characteristics of socio-technical flexibility. Third, we describe how an intentional use of salient management practices, including reverse mentoring, flexible work roles, and self-managed teams optimizes multigenerational talents to enhance employee socio-technical flexibility, which in turn, leads to multigenerational knowledge sharing. We believe that by embracing the benefits of multigenerational workforce, management can take intentional steps to create a workplace that optimizes effective knowledge sharing behaviors for improved service through salient participatory management practices.

Knowledge retention and aging workforce in the oil and gas industry: a multi perspective study

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how companies are handling the issue of knowledge retention from old age retiring workers in the oil and gas sector. This is achieved by providing a detailed insight on the challenges and strategies related to knowledge retention through study of companies from different geographical locations across the globe.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a qualitative research methodology and 20 semi-structured interviews, with open-ended and probing questions, were conducted to gain an in-depth insight into the knowledge retention phenomena.

Findings

Knowledge retention activities tend to be inconsistent in majority of the oil and gas companies, with not much work being done regarding knowledge loss from old employees, partly because of the fall in oil prices and layoffs. Oil prices turn out to be a decisive factor in oil and gas industry regarding workforce and knowledge retention activities. The political situation and geographical locations of the companies also affect the knowledge retention activities. Moreover, the aging workforce and retirement issue is more acute in the upstream sector.

Research limitations/implications

The focus of the study was on the oil and gas sector, and thus the research results may lack generalizability.

Originality/value

This paper fulfills an identified need for investigating the issues and challenges of knowledge retention regarding old age retiring employees by taking into account a global perspective and providing a comparison among different companies in different geographical locations.

What makes a high performer share knowledge?

Purpose

Knowledge sharing is an important individual behavior that benefits teams and organizations. However, little is known about environments with both team and individual rewards. The purpose of this study is to investigate high-ability team members’ knowledge sharing in an environment with both team and individual rewards. The motivation, opportunity and ability framework was specifically applied to a work situation with face-to-face interaction and objective performance measures.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were gathered from college baseball players in varied regions of the USA.

Findings

Unexpectedly, individual ability was negatively related to individual knowledge sharing. However, as pro-sharing norms increased, all players reported higher knowledge sharing, especially the highest-ability players.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations include that the sample is small and team members were not from the same teams, prohibiting aggregation to a higher level of analysis. The study is cross-sectional and self-reported, as well. The sample was homogeneous and young.

Practical implications

In work environments where rewards are both individual- and team-based, the high performers may ignore team knowledge sharing because they are more successful working as individuals.

Social implications

In work environments where rewards are both individual- and team-based, the high performers may ignore team knowledge sharing because they are more successful working as individuals. Development of pro-sharing norms can be critical for encouraging these team members with the potential to have a strong impact on the lower-performing team members, as well as to inspire further knowledge sharing.

Originality/value

The baseball team member sample is unique because of the team and individual performance aspects that include objective ability measures.

Knowledge strategy and business model conditions for sustainable growth of SMEs

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to figure out the factors for sustainable growth of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

– In all, 27 SMEs in the area of IT (Information Technology) in Korea were analysed through interview method basically.

Findings

– It is found that sustainable development of SMEs requires two kinds of open innovation which are knowledge strategy and business model. According to developing process, SMEs change their open innovation strategy in knowledge strategy and business model. The highest growth limit of SMEs depends on open innovation in knowledge strategy and business model in sequence from closed innovation in both, through open innovation in both, to open innovation in knowledge strategy and closed innovation in business model and to closed innovation in knowledge strategy and open innovation in business model.

Research limitations/implications

– First, the present study was conducted with IT sector SMEs in Korea. It is true that the IT sector is one of the most rapidly changing industrial sectors and is one of representative business types of SMEs in which manufacturing and service industries coexist and diverse sizes of SMEs exist (Malerba, 2002). Second, the present study relies on case study methods. It is true that case study is a method that gives excellent qualitative analysis in firm studies (Yin, 2008).

Practical implications

– SMEs cannot survive if they do not accept open innovation in knowledge strategy and business model. SMEs that show absolute limitations in resources and manpower should absolutely implement open innovation strategies to secure more diverse resources from markets and external knowledge bases rather than preparing all resources and capabilities by themselves (Van de Vrande et al., 2009; Yun and Mohan, 2012a, 2012b).

Social implications

– SMEs should bear in mind the two different levels of open innovation, such as knowledge strategies and business models (Chesbrough, 2007; Chesbrough and Appleyard, 2007).

Originality/value

– SMEs should not confuse between temporally sustainable development and infinite sustainable development. Firms that take closed innovation strategies in both knowledge strategies and business models can also grow for some time. However, because of the deepening of knowledge-based economy, not only the amount of knowledge existing in the world and the speed of knowledge distribution increased but also the customers’ demands and expectations have been observed to increase in the market immediately through social networking sites (SNS), etc. (Yun and Ryu, 2012).

Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics as a useful methodological framework for the Delphi technique

In this article we aim to demonstrate how Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics may provide a sound methodological framework for researchers using the Delphi Technique (Delphi) in studies exploring health and well-being. Reporting of the use of Delphi in health and well-being research is increasing, but less attention has been given to covering its methodological underpinnings. In Delphi, a structured anonymous conversation between participants is facilitated, via an iterative survey process. Participants are specifically selected for their knowledge and experience with the topic of interest. The purpose of structuring conversation in this manner is to cultivate collective opinion and highlight areas of disagreement, using a process that minimizes the influence of group dynamics. The underlying premise is that the opinion of a collective is more useful than that of an individual. In designing our study into health literacy, Delphi aligned well with our research focus and would enable us to capture collective views. However, we were interested in the methodology that would inform our study. As researchers, we believe that methodology provides the framework and principles for a study and is integral to research integrity. In assessing the suitability of Delphi for our research purpose, we found little information about underpinning methodology. The absence of a universally recognized or consistent methodology associated with Delphi was highlighted through a scoping review we undertook to assist us in our methodological thinking. This led us to consider alternative methodologies, which might be congruent with the key principles of Delphi. We identified Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics as a methodology that could provide a supportive framework and principles. We suggest that this methodology may be useful in health and well-being studies utilizing the Delphi method.

The Effect of HRM Practices on MNC Subsidiaries' Knowledge Transfer in Thailand

The study investigated how MNCs mobilise knowledge transfer fit in subsidiaries recipients. The hypotheses are developed that the knowledge transfer process via personnel aspects enhances the individual and organisational team competency to generate and transfer knowledge to fit with their recipients' needs. This empirical study is based on the data collected from two rounds of mailed questionnaire surveys of 600 MNC subsidiaries in Thailand. A total of 83 usable responses were returned, representing a response rate of 14%. The empirical results clarify some issues and propose the boundary conditions: (a) Firms should select people and orient with the kinds of knowledge to be transferred to take advantage of their effects on performance and (b) the importance of knowledge transfer through people's mobility across focal subsidiary as key drivers behind MNC's remarkable success. However, firms should not forget that in developing countries, there may be weaker informational capabilities and limited support industries.

A Systematic Approach to Identifying Engineering Generational Knowledge Transfer Boundaries

As organisations evaluate increasing retirement rates coupled with the rate of entering engineers, there is a need to address the presence of generational knowledge transfer boundaries. These unidentified boundaries impede the strategic transfer of engineering and architectural knowledge (STEAK) required for continued engineering growth. Using an interdisciplinary approach to define the engineering generational knowledge transfer boundaries provided useful knowledge sharing characteristics and procedures which all generations and disciplines can utilise. This research study provided a level of insight not previously explored and presented a model that can be used to evaluate how organisations will react to and leverage the knowledge across generations. Specifically, this study helps close the generational knowledge transfer boundary research gap with proper identification of the engineering generational knowledge transfer boundaries. This will allow management to propose strategies to attract and retain the next generation of knowledge workers. The article discusses these findings in detail and summarises the results in a proposed STEAK model and framework.

Factors Impacting Cross-Cultural Knowledge Sharing Through Online Systems in Organisational Settings

The work reported in this paper has identified a research gap regarding the specific area of cross-cultural knowledge sharing through online systems in organisational settings, i.e. what are the factors impacting organisational members' online knowledge sharing behaviour in cross-cultural contexts? A survey of the relevant literature has recognised three main categories of potentially significant factors: organisational issues, national culture and computer-mediated communication. Although scholarly efforts have been taken in each of the three single areas, no previous study has integrated all three categories systematically. A review of the existing studies in all three areas shows that each areas is limited in some way, for understanding how and why people with different national cultural values, share or do not share knowledge through online systems within the same organisation. This paper explains the importance of identifying and addressing the research gaps, as well as suggests ways in which scholars can make use of new research methods that provide better explanations of why certain knowledge sharing behaviours exist.