Knowledge Transfer Process Cycle: Between Factory Floor and Middle Management

Andreas Riege and Michael Zulpo
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Andreas Riege: Griffith Business School, Department of International Business and Asian Studies, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Brisbane, Queensland 4111.
Michael Zulpo: Griffith Business School, Department of International Business and Asian Studies, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Brisbane, Queensland 4111.

Australian Journal of Management, 2007, vol. 32, issue 2, 293-314

Abstract: Factory floor workers can add value to their firm from new knowledge they may discover whilst performing their daily tasks. The transfer of that knowledge to middle managers can improve process efficiencies, if they can utilise it. Researchers and practitioners perceive value in understanding a range of knowledge transfer strategies and initiatives, yet there is little empirical evidence on ground level knowledge discovery and bottom-up knowledge transfers in a manufacturing environment. Our results show that factory workers do not codify their knowledge and only articulate it personally. Thus firms must provide an environment that supports knowledge exchanges within the factory worker community and upwards to middle managers whom act as knowledge facilitators rather than knowledge creators between factory workers and upper management.

Keywords: KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER; KNOWLEDGE DISCOVERY; MANUFACTURING; FACTORY WORKER (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:ausman:v:32:y:2007:i:2:p:293-314

DOI: 10.1177/031289620703200207

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