Knowledge transfer process Week 5

Common Knowledge

Team performs a task

Outcome is achieved

Team explores the relationship between action

and outcomeCommon

knowledge is gained

Knowledge transfer system

is selectedKnowledge is translated into a form usable

by others

Receiving team adapts

knowledge for its own use

Team performs a task

Types of Knowledge Transfer

Serial Transfer

Far Transfer Strategic Transfer

Expert Transfer

Near Transfer

First I will introduce Nancy Dixon.Question asked to Nancy Dixon : What is Common Knowledge (in organization) ?

Nancy Dixon : Common knowledge is the organization’s most important knowledge. It is the knowledge asset that makes it competitive in the marketplace. It is knowledge the organization creates from the experience of carrying out its own tasks and projects. It is unique to that organization, whereas much of the other knowledge an organization has is learned out of books, knowledge that its engineers learned in school, and so forth. But when people actually do a task, they learn what it takes, what equipment works best, where you run into problems, what can be done about those problems, and that knowledge is the “common knowledge” of the organization. It is knowledge gained from the experience of doing unique tasks.

This woman largest contribution to KM is his 5 theory of Knowledge transfer.

Knowledge transfer process

Knowledge transfer process• Dixon has developed a theory of five knowledge transfer mechanisms,

using the following criteria:

– Who is the intended receiver,

– what is the nature of the task

– the type of knowledge to be transferred.

F R

different situationsimilar task

Frequent: to associate with, be in, or resort to often (Merriam)

Routine: a regular course of procedure, mechanical performance of an established procedure. Example: the routine of factory work

• Intended Receiver = different situation similar task

• Nature = Frequent VS Routine

• Knowledge Type = Tacit or Explicit

Serial Transfer• “The knowledge a team has

gained from doing its task in one setting is transferred to the next time that team does the task in a different setting.”

• An example would be a group that replaces a power generator in a chemical plant and uses the knowledge it gains to replace a generator in a refinery.

different situation

similar task

F NR

Receiving team

Meetings are regular and brief

Method used to transfer knowledge

exampleSerial transfer – The knowledge a team has gained from doing

its task in one setting is transferred to the next time that team does the task in a

different setting

Example: Ronaldo work at Oil Power Plant maintenance for Exxon mobile.

Then he change job to be Telecommunication Power Plant

maintenance for TM net. But he still do the same work that is Power Plant

management.

Criteria: Different situation and similar task, Frequent and non routine, Tacit or explicit, and sender and

receiver is the same person.

Explanation: The key here is the receiver and sender is the same person. That mean the

transferring of knowledge only happen to one person.

If it focus on the same person, why is it called

a transfer? since no other party involved?.

Answer for that is, even though no other person involved but the use of knowledge is different because

of the “different situation”. The knowledge is transferred from one

situation to other situation.

Frequent but non routine, why?. Since routine task/work wont have any difference even though it is located at different situation.

• For example a machine operator in air conditioner department(task) for LG Cyberjaya branch. For instance he being transferred to LG Sungai Petani(different situation) branch but still in the same department, doing the same job(routine). In this situation he didn’t need to transfer the “knowledge” because everything is still the same(job scope). Compared to frequent task that operate differently in new situation.

Since its a “one” person transferring, it means the entire knowledge regarding to the task will involve. Either tacit or explicit.

Near Transfer• Explicit knowledge a team has

gained from doing a frequent and repeated task is reused by other teams doing very similar work

• An example is a team at an auto plant in Chicago that learns how to install brakes more efficiently by studying the methods used by a team in Atlanta

F R

similar task

similar situation

Receiving team

Method used to transfer knowledge

Knowledge databasePersonal interaction

exampleNear transfer – Explicit

knowledge a team has gained from doing a frequent and repeated task is reused by

other teams doing very similar work

Example – Exxon Mobile in Africa sent workers to

Exxon mobile in Alaska to learn handling mining

machine efficiently.

KM Tools : Documentation + “classroom”. A simple manual or SOP + some explanation in “classroom” environment is

sufficient in this transfer.

This is because the worker that want to capture the

knowledge already mix well with the task. On the other

side, video is also a good tools.

Criteria : Similar situation similar task, Frequent or Routine, Sender and receiver is different and Explicit knowledge

• In addition the knowledge captured is explicit, so they wont have any problem capturing.

Explanation : The easiest transfer. Explicit knowledge that is captured than being reused on the same task in other part of the organization.

The task is the same, situation also remain the same. Furthermore knowledge is derived from routine and frequent task, so it don’t have any significant value directly and also easier to capture because the worker already blend well with task.

Far Transfer• Tacit knowledge a team has

gained from doing a non-routine task is made available to other teams doing similar work in another part of the organization.

• Workers with experience in oil exploration travel to meet with colleagues who are dealing with a unique exploration project

NRsimilar task

different situation

Receiving team

People carry the knowledge across the organization

Source team knowledge is translated

Method used to transfer knowledge

Criteria : Non routine, Tacit, Sender and receiver is different, and similar task different situation

• Furthermore the knowledge captured is from an activity that is non routine or in other word is disticnt or unique. Even though the activity is distinct but it have relation or similarity with the task that the receiver are focusing .

Explanation : The key here is tacit knowledge is captured and then made available to others in another part of the organization.

This type of knowledge transfer is very valuable because it will boost the

performance of the organization.

Reason to that is the tacit knowledge captured. Even tacit knowledge have it own “value” level, and if it come from a

non routine activity for sure it have competitive advantage or uniqueness compared to routine tacit knowledge.

In addition the knowledge is transferred “far” away through the

organization.

This will help the branch of the organization to develop in linear with

other branches.

example

Tacit knowledge a team has gained from doing a non-routine task is made available to other teams doing similar work in another part of the organization

Exxon mobile in Alaska have found relation between environment and mining of petroleum. This new theory derived from the long live research they conduct. Based on this research, it conclude that environment will increase productivity if manipulated well. So Exxon mobile branch in Africa have sent their workers to capture this knowledge and bring it back, so they can also use it to enhance their perofrmance.

KM tools – in my opinion, they may used Mentoring systems because usually this transfer involve highly tacit knowledge.

Strategic Transfer• The collective knowledge of the organization is needed to

accomplish a strategic task that occurs infrequently but is critical to the whole organization

• Senior level managers are often involved and define what kind of knowledge is needed to solve the task.

• When an organization is conducting a one-off project, wants to benefit from the experience of others within the organization, the senior level managers sometimes have to define the knowledge that is needed.

• Strategic transfer develops needed knowledge rather than taking advantage of existing knowledge. This knowledge is preferably shared to multiple units of the organization rather than on the source.

NR

Receiving team

Bank Merger

Collective knowledge

Knowledge specialists collect and

interpret the knowledge Knowledge

needed is identified by senior-level managers.

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example

Strategic transfer – The collective knowledge of the organization is needed to accomplish a strategic task that occurs infrequently but is critical to the whole organization

Example: Exxon Mobile is facing problem with their Cooperate social responsibility. They have announce that they will go “green”, however they Oil Silo is not linear with that. Thus Exxon CEO have make a throughout research on how to make that Silo operate in the “Green” manners. He have hired several consultant and “Green” expert to help him solve this problem.

Criteria : Sender and receiver is different, Tacit and Explicit, Non routine and Infrequently.

Explanation: This type of knowledge transfer rely heavily on the task, which is infrequently and non routine. In other word this transfer is made when the task exist. Usually the task is related towards Decision making. Strategic transfer need a lot of knowledge as a basis, thus it include all of the related knowledge to it (Either tacit or explicit). Usually the sender of the knowledge is the whole organization(collectively) and the receiver is the Top management(Decision maker)

Strategic transfer is needed when Knowledge

is not tally with the situation anymore,

or in other word in the disequilibrium

mode.

So new “knowledge” is needed to solve

the disequilibrium,

Top manager will seek for this knowledge, they will have to integrate, analyze, interpret, research existing knowledge

then create a new knowledge that can solve the problem.

Expert Transfer• A team facing a technical question

beyond the scope of its own knowledge seeks the expertise of others in the organization

• An example would be a technician who sends an e-mail to a network of colleagues and asks how to increase the brightness on out-of-date monitors.

similar situationdifferent task

R

technical question

Electronic forums are segmented by topic Electronic forums are monitored and supported

Method used to transfer knowledge

Expert transfer – A team facing a technical question beyond the scope of its own knowledge seeks the expertise of others in the organization

Example: Exxon Mobile technician have problem with their Drilling routine, it look like the Drill have heated way faster than it should be. Thus they have consult expert on this field and also the Drill manufacturer to get the gist of the problem

Criteria: Sender and receiver is different, Explicit , Routine and

Infrequently, Different task and similar situation

Explanation: This transfer happen in the “technical” field. Reason to

that? – task is routine but infrequent. This means that the workers are facing new problem while doing their routine task.

However, the problem arise didn’t require tacit knowledge

to solve because it is still related to their “routine” job. Since routine job is repetitive so it

wont develop or integrate itself.

Thus that relate why the knowledge transferred(needed) is explicit. Worker will still work in the similar situation but they

will face a “new” or different task that relate to their routine.

presentation

• Please provide a slide presentation with a good sample of your ‘Knowledge Transfer Type’

• Each group have only 15 minutes (another 5 marks)

• Net week we will learn about KM Enabler - everyone favorite topic ;)

• Enjoy Ramadhan-Azmawati Mohd Lazim-