The Knowledge Transfer Process

Knowledge transfer in an organization is the process through which one unit (e.g., group, department, or division) is affected by the experience of another. Yet, experience has shown that transferring knowledge, whether at the individual, group, product line, department, or division level, is usually a laborious, time-consuming, and difficult task. In this article, we review 20 recent empirical studies on knowledge transfer and suggest a four-stage process model to summarize and organize their findings. This resulted in a framework where determinants for success at each stage of the knowledge transfer process are defined. Based on this knowledge transfer framework, we propose a knowledge transfer management system that integrates current knowledge management tools and technologies to support the needs at different stages of the knowledge transfer process.