Transferring Knowledge between Supervisors and Managerial Peer Groups: Falling at the trust hurdle

This abstract reports findings from an exploratory study that attempted to investigate the variables that impact on knowledge transfer between supervisors and managerial peer groups in organisations. Organisations rely on the dissemination of knowledge in order to drive their strategies, products and operations. This study suggests that cultural implications may impact on the transfer of knowledge in organisations. This study adopted a social constructionist approach to the transfer of knowledge by using the social process of sharing knowledge and its effect on respondents' perceived innovation in organisations. The sample consisted of 106 MBA students. The response rate was 100% of which 96 were useable. Both public and private sector organizations were represented across a wide variety of industries with over 50 respondents being directors or managers. A questionnaire comprising of 20 items consisting of open and closed questions was used; six were anchored to a 5 point Likert type scale, five were open, and two were closed requiring a yes or no answer. Seven items were included to collect demographic data. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data utilized category theme analysis. All respondents reported a low level of trust in peers (m=3.1) but a slightly higher level in supervisors (m=2.9). The Asian group reported less trust of their peers (m=3.3). Respondents reported that supervisors (64%) and peers (67%) withheld knowledge and reported satisfaction with the quantity (47%) and quality (43%) of knowledge disseminated by supervisors and quantity (45%) and quality (37%) of knowledge disseminated by peers. Sorting the data by country of origin into non-Asian and Asian groups revealed differences in reported levels of satisfaction with the quantity and quality of knowledge disseminated by supervisors and peers. The non-Asian group reported a 50% rate of satisfaction with the quality of knowledge from supervisors, whereas the Asian respondents reported a 35% rate of satisfaction. The Asian population reported a high level of withholding knowledge by peers (74%), while non-Asians reported a high level of withholding knowledge by supervisors (66%). Qualitative data was collected to show why supervisors and peers withheld knowledge and the respondent's emotional response. The category theme analysis revealed the following themes: anger, annoyance, alienation, frustration, lack of trust, and jealousy. The qualitative data showed that organisations promoted innovation (68%) through recognition, rewards and autonomy but that perceptions of innovation were culture specific. The combination of high levels of withholding knowledge, low levels of dissatisfaction …