Boylan, A (2020) A study of the transfer of tacit knowledge by a monitored tutelage programme for quantity surveyors. PhD thesis, University of Salford, UK.
Abstract
This thesis is about how tacit knowledge may be transferred. Its aim is to develop a coaching and mentoring programme for Quantity Surveyors. The literature synthesis includes a discussion of tacit and explicit knowledge and a review of knowledge creation, management and transfer. It includes theories of knowledge transfer and a review of concepts involved in mentoring and how it is carried out for knowledge workers in several professions. The review concludes that there is a knowledge gap relating to tacit knowledge transfer in many professions including quantity surveying and that there are several approaches to transferring this knowledge. Tacit knowledge is used by knowledge workers in addressing problems in their work. Action Research is suitable for this. The thesis sets out the way that Action Research formed the basis of developing a monitored tutelage programme (MTP) for transfer of tacit knowledge. The development of an MTP became the methodology for research using the Plan, Act, Observe, Reflect iterations of Action Research. Research followed three stages: a pilot workshop to help determine specific tacit knowledge gaps, a structured questionnaire to determine features of these gaps and a series of four monitored workshops comprising the MTP. Workshops were used to implement and validate findings from the literature review and research. Thesis conclusions were that as a result of the review and Action Research, there was a knowledge gap in relation to the transfer of tacit knowledge to graduate Quantity Surveyors, this gap may be addressed by an MTP, Action Research is suitable for development of an MTP and the MTP developed could successfully transfer tacit knowledge. Potential beneficiaries of an MTP include quantity surveying practices using the programme, programme participants, professional bodies, third level institutions, HR and senior management in firms, workshop mentors and subject matter experts, career experts and employment agencies.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | employment; quantity surveying; graduate; professional; quantity surveyor; tacit knowledge; action research; workshops |
| Index terms: | action research, mentors, methodology, literature review, programme, knowledge creation, tacit knowledge, employment, explicit knowledge, quantity surveying practice, agency, quantity surveying, career, mentoring, questionnaire, workshop, knowledge transfer, surveying, profession |
| Subjects: | profession, management, data collection methods, professional development, data analysis and analytics, project controls, knowledge management, research methods, training, health monitoring assessment and metrics, research dissemination and communication, sociology, practitioner, institututions, construction type |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Health and Safety, Construction Technology, Information Management, Time Control, Roles and Professions, Human Resources, Digital Applications |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here