Knowledge transfer in a large technology company: Identification of key factor affecting broker´s knowledge approval

Knowledge is typically created within one unit of a company and then transferred through contact persons (“knowledge brokers”) to the other units. There are four main types of participants in the knowledge transfer process: sender, broker, broker´s boss, and the other unit members. Transferring knowledge and promoting its utilization to all members in a hierarchical organization is not easy. A key element in effective knowledge transfer identified in a previous work is that the broker´s knowledge approval (KA) has a positive impact on knowledge utilization by other members. In this study, several factors in creating KA were hypothesized. They were then tested by holding safety-training courses in a large Japanese technology company and surveying the 36 trainees (knowledge brokers) to ascertain their attitudes related to the hypothesize factors. Multiple regression analysis showed that the sender´s KA was the factor that contributed most to the broker´s KA. The findings were used to identify methods to improve the effectiveness of knowledge transfer in a large company from the perspective of a knowledge broker.