Knowledge communities: Towards a re-thinking of intergenerational knowledge transfer

Abstract

Purpose: Knowledge management (KM) has become a key concern for companies which nowadays are constantly looking for better ways to assure knowledge sharing between their employees. However, companies encounter several challenges arising from the fact that several generations share the same workplace and a big portion of today's employees are close to retirement. This article aims to focus on knowledge sharing between generations. Design/methodology/approach: The article reviews the "generation" concept and its limitations, and introduces a new view on generations as "communities of knowledge". Findings: Companies have to find ways not only to assure knowledge transfer between generations, but also knowledge retention of the workers that are retiring. This requires a deeper understanding of the generations and their differentiated knowledge. Yet, today's dominant descriptions of generations ("baby-boomers", "generation X", "generation Y"), do not appear to adequately take into account cultural, socio-professional and individual factors. Originality/value: The proposed change of paradigm allows a deeper comprehension of nuances that may exist within the same age group. In doing so, the article makes a contribution to the understanding of knowledge sharing in organizations. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.