Necessary and Supportive Conditions for Transfer of Knowledge: A Conceptual Framework

Abstract

This paper highlights the conditions (within the organizational environment) that play a vital role in pursuing the sender to share knowledge and the receiver motivated enough to reproduce or apply the received knowledge. Though these conditions are discussed in knowledge transfer literature, yet a comprehensive framework based on all the elements of transfer of knowledge is not available. This study has taken the basic two-person communication model into account and has defined two sets of conditions that are essential for the transfer of knowledge. The first tier of the framework is the communication nucleus which defines the elements of transfer of knowledge aligned with the two-person communication model whereas, the second tier of the framework spells out the conditionality for a successful transfer of knowledge. Two sets of conditions; one based on content factors labeled as necessary conditions and the other based on contextual factors labeled as supportive conditions are comprehensively explained. The framework claims that content factors are necessary for the transfer of knowledge and their absence will cease the transfer process whereas supportive condition accelerates the transfer process, their absence though may not cease the transfer process. The conceptual framework can be used as a set of policy guidelines for the knowledge management strategy formation and application within organizations along with creating the conducive environment required for creating and nurturing opportunities for transfer of knowledge. Keywords: Knowledge Transfer, Conditions for Transfer of Knowledge, Communication Nucleus.