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>Knowledge transfer across R&D units: An empirical investigation of the factors affecting successful knowledge transfer across intra- and inter-organizational units.
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Knowledge transfer across R&D units: An empirical investigation of the factors affecting successful knowledge transfer across intra- and inter-organizational units.
The importance of effective organizational learning to sustainable competitive advantage has received increased attention recently in many disciplines. This study examined one aspect of organizational learning, namely, the contextual factors that impact upon the intra- and inter-firm transfer of knowledge. The research model for this study draws on the organizational learning theories of Nonaka (1994), Dixon (1994) and Yeung, Ulrich, Nason & von Glinow (1999) and integrates several conceptual models related to knowledge transfer at different levels of analysis (Argote & Ingram, 2000) and within different organizational governance modes (Kostova, 1999; Inkpen, Dinur & Hamilton, 1998; Dixon, 2000; Choi & Lee, 1997; Lyles & Salk, 1996). A synthesis of these literatures resulted in a research model that includes ten factors affecting transfer success. These ten factors include two related to the knowledge transferred, (1) articulability and (2) embeddedness; five related to the distance between the units, including (3) organizational distance, (4) physical distance, (5) institutional distance, (6) knowledge distance, and (7) relationship distance; one related to the transfer actions undertaken to support knowledge transfer, (8) transfer activities; and two related to the recipient unit, namely, (9) motivation of the recipient, and (10) organizational learning culture.; This study used the Total Design Method mail-survey questionnaire approach (Dillman, 1978) to sample technology executives in large and medium sized companies operating in high technology sectors. Based on preliminary data analysis, a revised set of twelve hypothesized main-effect relationships was tested using hierarchical multiple regression analysis of the 69 usable responses obtained. Seven of these hypotheses, at least one from each of the knowledge, distance, transfer activities, and recipient contexts, were found statistically significant. Specifically, knowledge articulability, knowledge embeddedness, norm distance (a sub-variable within relationship distance), and basic transfer activities were each supported at the 0.01 level; knowledge distance was supported at the 0.05 level; and organizational distance and recipient motivation were each supported at the 0.1 level. Since many of these factors are within the realm of managerial control, identification of their relative influence on transfer success could prove vital in the development of effective knowledge transfer protocols.
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