Challenges of Knowledge Transfer in Organisations - Literature review Example

This importance has given rise to the need of knowledge management techniques that organizations can implement, and can successfully manage the flow of knowledge in their organizations. There are various models about knowledge transfer. Two of the most famous models include Ikujiro Nonaka and Hirotaka Takeuchi’s SECI model and Boisot's I-Space model (Bratianu, 2010, p. 193). These two have many things in common. According to Nonako and Takeuchi’s SECI model, knowledge transfer in any organization takes place in four levels.

This model divides knowledge into tacit knowledge or implied knowledge, and explicit or expressed knowledge. This models describes the relationship between these two types of knowledge through four stages i.e. socialization, externalisation, combination and internalization. Socialization is the first step that happens when an organization member comes under exposure to the stories or experiences through other employees. Apprenticeship proves to be a good example of this stage as the form of knowledge transfer is tacit to tacit.

Next stage is of externalization, which happens when organization members convert tacit knowledge learned in the above stage into explicit knowledge. An example of this can include taking part into a project where all the team members contribute from their knowledge (Bratianu, 2010, p. 193). Combination is the third stage, which signifies the transfer of explicit to explicit knowledge. This happens when the knowledge externalised is combined with earlier knowledge and applied to a broader group or entity.

Similarly, the last stage is internalization which signifies the transfer of explicit to tacit knowledge. This happens when the knowledge becomes an inseparable and integral part of an organizational member or members and they can readily transfer it onwards through socialization (Wickes, 2003, p. 5). This model suggests that these four stages happen in a cyclical form where one stage follows the other and it forms a spiral of knowledge. Moreover, this model also suggests that knowledge increases as the spirals increase and as it comes under the exposure of more and more organizational members.

Another theory of knowledge management that is very similar to Nonako and Takeuchi’s model is Boisot's I-Space model. Boisot classifies knowledge present in any organization into three dimensions. First dimension is codified and un-codified knowledge. This is similar to SECI model’s tacit and explicit knowledge (Strach & Everett, 2006, p. 5). Codified knowledge is one that is easily transferred including financial data or any other thing that is properly documented. On the other hand, un-codified knowledge is one that is not properly documented and it is preserved only in the memories of organizational members or is part of an organization’s culture; therefore, it is implied.

Examples of un-codified knowledge would include stories and experiences that are held with individuals. Another dimension of knowledge as suggested by Boisot includes abstract and concrete knowledge. This dimension is self explanatory. The third dimension of knowledge according to Boisot’s theory includes diffused and undiffused knowledge. Diffused knowledge refers to that knowledge that is open to all organizational member; whereas, undiffused knowledge is the one that is available to only a selected few e.g. to top management etc