Passion and Expertise Knowledge TransferFoundations of Knowledge Management

Developed by:Fransisca Katherina Rumambi – G1200547CJanardhanan Janani – G1200842BNguyen Ngoc Hien Trang - G1200854E

Purpose

Paper argues that experts’ degree of passion and attachment to

expertise knowledge facilitates knowledge acquisition and transfer

Agenda

Factors that influence success of knowledge transfer Expertise knowledge Motives for knowledge transfer Why is passion important for expertise knowledge? Oil company case study Emerging themes Discussion and implications Conclusion and limitations

Key Factors That Influence Success of Knowledge Transfer

Type of knowledge Absorptive capacity of recipients Organizational features Cultural factors Level of passion, devotion to the expertise Level of trust Relationship between cognizing units – “ Strong ties enable

transfer of complex language” (Uzzi,1997)

• People with special knowledge capabilities

• Higher the expertise, more abstract the mental representation

• Abstraction and articulation of knowledge are significant features of expertise knowledge (Hinds et al,2001)

• Experience is crucial ( minimum 10 years of practice ) and high degree of emotion involved

• Expertise involves using one’s abilities to acquire, store and utilize atleast 2 kinds of knowledge: explicit knowledge of a domain & tacit knowledge of a field (Sternberg & Horvath,1999)

Social perspective (Agnew et al,1997) Sociological perspective (Mieg,2001)

Specific qualification or status withindividual differences being irrelevant

Minimum criterion is to have large group of people to consider the individual an expert

EXPERTISE KNOWLEDGEExpertise Knowledge

Extrinsic Intrinsic • Experts work in teams • Willing to transfer knowledge

• Experts working independently• Interested in monetary rewards &

Promotion

• Relationship between form of motivation and form of knowledge to be transferred

• Intrinsic motivation enables the generation and transfer of tacit knowledge under conditions in which explicit knowledge fails (Osterloh & Frey,2002)

Knowledge Transfer Motives

VS

• Passion is a key feature of experts

• Expertise Knowledge is highly tacit

• Passion is required for commitment to expertise field

Suggestion of the paperTacit Knowledge = High degree of emotional investment

High level of passion = High level of knowledge transfer

Passion and Expertise Knowledge

OIL EXPLORE Case Illustration

Interview: Target Respondents

20 INTERVIEWEES• 7 GEO-SCIENCE EXPERTS (>15 years)

• 3 SPECIALISTS (>10 years) Senior Researchers, Future Experts

• 10 NOVICES (<3 years)

9 NATIONALITIES

AlgeriansAngolans

English French

Iranians

Lebanese

Dutch

Nigerians

Norwegians

Russians

Spanish

• What motivates them to readily and willingly transfer their expertise to younger generation?

• How they experience the transfer process?

• What are the requirements for an effective Knowledge Transfer Process (KTP)?

Case Illustration: Oil Explore

OIL COMPANY

112, 877 EmployeesSales €140 Billion

130 Countries

Net Income €12 Billion

UPSTREAM OPERATION• Oil and gas exploration• Development and production

DOWNSTREAM OPERATION• Refining • Marketing• Trading • Shipping of crude oil and petroleum

products

66% of

net income

Oil Explore: Knowledge Sharing

Transfer of Knowledge

“ORGANIC GROWTH”Cost-effective discoveries and development of new reserves

STRATEGY

Training Programs

Project-based and cross-age team work

Interview Findings

• The informants are intent on seeing their expertise live on and be transmitted to younger generations

• Although they see that rewards and incentives are crucial, they regard that transferring their expertise as part of their daily practices

• The informants emphasize the significance of learning by doing (cognitive aspect of expertise), they also put premium on emotional drives (enthusiasm and passion) as motives for learning

• Enthusiasm and passion should be manifested through sharing (social aspect of expertise)

Knowledge TransferKnowledge Transfer

Knowledge AcquisitionKnowledge Acquisition

Knowledge Management

Theorists’ Opinion Study’s Opinion

MonologicalProcess

DialogicalProcess

Assumptions: Dialogical Process of Expertise

• Passion plays very important role for becoming an expert because of the lengthy and painstaking process

• With passion, experts spans the confines of their workplace and working time

Assumptions: Enthusiasm and Passion Are Important

An expert works because of the prize which is their passion and pleasure of performing

expertise, not because of “price”

Assumptions: Enthusiasm and Passion Are Important

Passion works as the internal motivation to learn and transfer knowledge through

dialogue and discussion

Conclusion

• The study is based on only one case study even the a lot of information was collected from interviews

• The issue how the expert’s passion can be affected by interference of management was not address in the research

Limitation of Research

Key Learning For Our Group

• We realize how closely the leadership attribute of passion is tied to innovation

• To come up with new, better ways of doing things and then actually implement those new approaches requires deep commitment combined with a curious and inclusive spirit – the essence of true passion.

• When people can find that balance, exciting stuff can unfold…

Katherina – Janani - Trang

Any questions?