The close study of the knowledge accessed or developed by organization members in the 15 Critical Incidents allowed us to determine it was essentially metaknowledge (or knowledge about knowledge) about the transferable knowledge. We were able to classify this metaknowledge along two different sets of categories:
- The categories of the first set indicate which element constituting the awareness process sees its development directly influenced when the organization member accesses the information contained within a piece of knowledge belonging to them.
- The categories of the second set indicate which kind of information a piece of knowledge belonging to them provides to the organization member using it.
The first set contains two categories:
- Metaknowledge whose information helps the organization member develop his awareness of some transferable knowledge
- Metaknowledge whose information helps the organization member develop his awareness of needs.
The second set contains four categories:
- Metaknowledge containing information related to the content and characteristics of the transferable knowledge surrounding the organization member
- Metaknowledge containing information related to the context surrounding that transferable knowledge
- Metaknowledge containing information related to the transfer cost and use cost of that transferable knowledge
- Metaknowledge containing information related the transferable knowledge source.
Besides, in each categories of this second set, we found pieces of knowledge belonging to the two categories of the first set. Indeed, whereas the organization member has to know the four concepts (content, context, source and cost) of a transferable knowledge to truly grasp the related transferable knowledge, he has to define accurately the associated needs parts that to fully apprehend the need related to the transferable knowledge.
As a consequence, depending on the kind of information provided and the element constituting the awareness process influenced by its use, the knowledge accessed and developed by the organization member during the awareness process can be separated in 8
Knowledge providing information related to the content and characteristics of the
transferrable knowledge
Knowledge providing information related to the context surrounding
the transferrable knowledge
Knowledge providing information related to the source of the transferrable knowledge
Knowledge whose information helps the potential reuser develop his awareness of
some transferable knowledge.
Knowledge providing information related to the cost of transfer and cost of use of
the transferrable knowledge
Knowledge whose information helps the potential reuser develop his awareness of
his needs.
First set of categories:
Element constituting the awareness process influenced
Second set of categories: Information provided
Figure 7.3 : Groups of knowledge accessed or created by the organization member
Last but not least, we found out that the metaknowledge accessed during the awareness process was used by the organization member to evaluate many characteristics similar to those developed by scholars in other publications related to knowledge sharing. Some of this metaknowledge also helped the organization member define his needs towards these characteristics.
Content and characteristics of the transferrable knowledge
Context surrounding the transferrable knowledge
Cost of acquisition and use of the transferrable knowledge
Transf. Knowledge Appropriability (Teece 1987)
Transf. Knowledge Proveness of a past useful record ( Szulanski 1996, Rogers 1983) Transf. Knowledge Credibility (Majchrzak et al 2004)
Transf. Knowledge Life span ( Darr et al 1995)
Transf. Knowledge Adaptability (Rogers 1980) Transf. Knowledge Causal ambiguity (Szulanski 1996) Transf. Knowledge Dependency to a system (Winter 1987)
Nature and characteristics of the boundaries between the source and the potential resuer (Carlile 2004)
Strength, knowledge, access, engagement, safety dimension of the ties between the source and the potential reuser (Cross et al 2001)
Source of the transferrable knowledge
Transf. Knowledge stickiness (Von Hippel 1996)
Category of information provided by the metaknowledge
Concepts defined in previous researches that can be determined with the help of the content of the category
Table 7.1 : Associating categories of the second set to existing knowledge sharing concepts
To conclude, we compiled in the following table (table 7.1) the propositions made in this thesis:
Number Proposition
1
The individual awareness process, referred to in literature as the stage preceding knowledge transfer, is actually constituted of four elements, developed by the potential knowledge reuser:
- the awareness of a transferable knowledge, - the awareness of a need,
- understanding the importance of that need,
- understanding the usefulness of this transferable knowledge toward that need.
2 The 4 elements constituting the awareness process follow no compulsory order of initiation although they obey two logical series.
3
The 4 elements constituting the awareness process are gradually developed in parallel. These elements can always be subject to evolutions before the decision to transfer is taken by the potential reuser.
4 External factors as well as internal cause-and-effect links between the elements constituting the awareness process can influence its development.
5
An awareness process will end successfully when the potential reuser judges that a transferable knowledge is eligible to answer a need estimated as an objective by the same potential reuser. If so, it will be possible to initiate the transfer.
6
The knowledge accessed or developed by the potential reuser during the awareness phase can be divided into two categories:
- metaknowledge whose information helps the potential reuser develop his awareness of some transferable knowledge
- metaknowledge whose information helps the potential reuser develop his awareness of needs.
7
Knowledge accessed and developed by the potential reuser during the awareness process can be separated in 4 categories. These categories respectively gathers knowledge containing information:
- related to the content and characteristics of transferable knowledge surrounding the potential reuser,
- related to the context surrounding that transferable knowledge,
- related to the transfer cost and use cost of that transferable knowledge, - related the transferable knowledge source.
8
Depending on the kind of information provided and the element constituting the awareness process influenced by its use, the knowledge accessed and developed by the potential reuser during the awareness process can be separated in 8 groups.
9 Each category belonging to the second set can be associated to a group of concepts related to knowledge sharing.
Table 7.2 : Compilation of the propositions made in the thesis