Berg, S; Legnerot, C; Lindstrom, A; Nilsson, M; Bosch, P and Gluch, P (2012) Knowledge transfer within and across organizational boundaries: A case study in the construction industry. In: Smith, S D (ed.) Proceedings of 28th Annual ARCOM Conference, 3-5 September 2012, Edinburgh, UK.
Abstract
Knowledge transfer is essential for an organization to be competitive and successful. However, as projects are temporary, knowledge is often bound to the individuals in projects rather than to the core organizations. The main research question for this article is: How can collaboration be used in order to transfer knowledge from one project to another within an organization or with other organizations within a project? To do this, a theoretical framework of recent literature concerning knowledge management and transfer is used, as well as a case study about an urban development organization working with a rather unique collaboration structure in order to maximize the knowledge transfer from and between different actors. Our method of research has been interviews with a divisional manager and two project managers at an urban development organization. Results from our case study indicate that in the planning phase, knowledge transfer includes collecting feedback and information as well as using a central knowledge platform. During the production phase, face-to-face communication is the most important form of knowledge transfer. After each project, evaluation is essential to collect the experience of collaboration and identify planning errors. Our findings also show that most knowledge transfer occurs at an informal level. The study concludes that several factors affect knowledge transfer in a construction organization. The most essential are the media in which knowledge is transferred and the way information is stored. Taking all factors into consideration, an organization with a decentralized structure and an open and broad-minded culture enables successful knowledge transfer.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction industry; knowledge objects; knowledge transfer; learning boundaries; project organizations |
| Index terms: | collaboration, urban development, knowledge transfer, media, construction industry, organizational boundary, knowledge management, boundaries, interview, manager, construction organization, platform, project manager, case study, face, project organization |
| Subjects: | industry analysis, sociology, organizational theory, urban design, digital design, professional development, management, property law, psychology, practitioner, profession, research dissemination and communication, data collection methods, organization |
| Topics: | Roles and Professions, Business Strategy, Information Management, Project Management, Research Practice, Organizational Design, Urban Studies, Digital Applications, Legal Issues |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
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