Key Success Factors that Affecting Knowledge Transfer among Public Organization Employees: A Conceptual Framework

Abstract

Knowledge transfer is a process that comprises one group that affected by the experience and knowledge by the other group as it involves the two parties together meanwhile the effectiveness of knowledge transfer in organisations can be assessed by measuring changes in the knowledge of the recipient unit. This paper aims to identify the key success factors influencing the knowledge transfer effectiveness in the public organisation and it will discuss more details on the factors that affect the process of knowledge transfer. Based on the framework, the three independent variables was identified which are organisational cultural practise, information technology and leadership. The dependent variable is knowledge transfer which has been adopted from the previous model and scholarly literatures. This study will be a significant in understanding the important of knowledge transfer in public organisations in order for employees to have an adequate information and knowledge to serve people. Besides, this study provides benefit and useful for the public organisation's employees, manager, top management and also for a researcher by providing a study that establishes the overview about the factors influencing knowledge transfer. Keyword: Knowledge Transfer, organizational Culture Practice, Information Technology, leadership, Public Organization Introduction Within the last decades, many organisations in Malaysia are beginning to develop their own Knowledge Management (KM) centers and initiatives in order to build up their knowledge base within their organisation. This is to ensure that the employees in their organisation are able to generate, share and utilise knowledge to its fullest for a better competitive and innovative organisation. The intention or implementation of knowledge management is to improve the decision-making, increase innovation and performance and improve competitive advantage. In addition, knowledge is found as a most of the important strategic resources and actively International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development 2017, Vol. 6, No. 3 ISSN: 2226-6348 239 www.hrmars.com/journals determine in order to transfer the effective knowledge across the borders. Numerous findings have founded that the successful of knowledge transfer process can help in creating a competitive advantage for the organisation. This statement was supported by Argote and Ingram (2000) which a successful knowledge transfer can help in creating competitive advantage in an organisation. According to Ives et al. (2003); Spander (1996) posit that key organisational factors that consist of the culture, structure, process, strategy and the implementation of information technology influenced the effectiveness of knowledge transfer in the organisation. Thus, knowledge can be counted as most of the vital resources for the organisation and the knowledge transfer between the employees in the organisation should be the stand out factors for the organisation itself in order to improve the services to people. The more knowledge transfer was applied in the organisation, it will contribute to the saving the organisation’s fund and deal with a better position in order to deal with the challenge in future. Jasimuddin (2012) defined knowledge as one of the key resources in many organisations. Start from the creation, transform and utilisation of knowledge are seen as an important concern for management research and practise. Nonaka (2000) stated nowadays, knowledge was recognised as an important as critical resources for the competitive advantages for an organisation. Wong and Aspinwall (2004) posit the concept of knowledge itself, if it well manages and fully utilised, it can assist the organisation to become more effective, adaptive, innovative and stay sustain. Truly, knowledge is very off limited values if people are reluctant to share and transfer with others within the organisation. Knowledge transfer has been claimed as one of the critical knowledge management activities in this current and advancement of information age where organisation are kept on learning and be innovative in order to remain competitive with other organisations. However, knowledge transfer will be not occurring if there are no existing system and tools that enable the process. Zahra et al. (2000); Phan and Peridis (2000) said knowledge transfer considered as an important method of obtaining and maintaining the values of competitive advantages. Knowledge expanded and gained from various ways including dialogues, discussion, innovative thought, storytelling, and community of practice. Besides, Zhang and Ng (2012) mentioned organisations are unable to create knowledge by themselves since knowledge is created by individuals and to leverage the knowledge will only possible if people are ready to share their knowledge with others. Problem Statement Nowadays, in the context of the knowledge economy, Westlund (2006) stated knowledge becomes the main resource in an organisation which it leads in taking places as fundamental factors of production of the organisation itself and knowledge transfer become as the core part of it. Levin et al. (2004) mentioned organisation are paying more focus on inter and intra organisational knowledge transfer performance. Concerning to this issue, lots of internal and external factors need to be considered. Previous studies had focused on cross-border knowledge transfer that had point out the impacts of differences cultural in knowledge International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development 2017, Vol. 6, No. 3 ISSN: 2226-6348 240 www.hrmars.com/journals transfer and few studies also had done on the factors of the knowledge transfer that consist of a different culture. Other than that, the previous study only analyses on the relationship between cultural factors towards knowledge transfer rather than focus on another dimension. Literature Review Knowledge Transfer In the context of organisational perspective, Hassan et al. (2013) defined knowledge transfer as a process that comprises one group that affected by the experience and knowledge by the other group as it involves the two parties together. Meanwhile, similarly with Syed-Ikhsan and Rowland (2004) argued that knowledge transfer needs to be involved with the willingness of a group or individual to work with others and share knowledge to their mutual benefit. According to Albino, Garavelli and Gorgoglione (2004) mentioned most of the authors that have been conducted the study in this field agreed that knowledge transfer fully depends on the individual characteristics which consist of experience, skills, beliefs, values, and motivation. Hackney et al. (2008); Perez-Nordtvedt (2008) mentioned that there is theoretical and empirical research that addressed the role and importance of knowledge transfer in the organisation. Herman and Renz (2008) noted knowledge transfer able to help the organisation to develop the skills among employees; help in increasing the value and at the same time contribute to sustaining the organisation competitive advantages. Although the knowledge transfer is a part of knowledge management, but it is awfully the most important one as it contributes to the widespread of the information and can represent a profitable of resources. Sharing knowledge will remain the one who shared it but at the same time it enriching the one who receive it. Alavi and Leidner (2001) summarised knowledge transfer will be important if it was properly handled and knowledge will be moved to locations where it needed and most important it helps in creating competitive advantages for an organisation. Meanwhile, Levine and Gilbert (1998) in their study mentioned the importance of knowledge transfer has grown up for three main reasons which the first is knowledge itself was known as an advantage for the business in the almost organisation. Secondly is from the individual’s knowledge in the organisation, it can help in improving business process and the last one is with the existing of information technology nowadays, it has created new means of knowledge transfer as now knowledge can be transferred faster within a large number of members. Organisational Culture Practise From an organisational perspective, the collective values and beliefs of the individual members of that organisation represent a phenomenon called as an organisational culture. Organisational culture is one that considered as one of the factors that influence the knowledge transfer process. At this point, Devenport, De Long and Beers (1998) stated the organisational culture is one of the most influential factors that make knowledge transfer effective and success. This is because cultures that promoting changes and innovative behaviour will inspire the positive exchange of ideas and at the same time increase the knowledge transfer. In line with the previous authors, Janz and Prasarnphanich (2003) described organisational culture is assumed to be one of the most vital factors towards the effectiveness of knowledge transfer and organisational learning that will determine the values, beliefs and work system which it can International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development 2017, Vol. 6, No. 3 ISSN: 2226-6348 241 www.hrmars.com/journals help in encourages or promotes learning as well as knowledge sharing and finally the process of decision-making. Since organisational culture is defined as " the set of values, beliefs and norms, meanings and practises shared by personnel in an organisation”, Robbin (2001) mentioned from the guidance and shaping the values, the attitudes and behaviours of people, it will help in controlling and encouraging people to freely voluntarily to share their insights and knowledge among each other’s. Hills and Jones (2001) stated organisational culture is one of the key factors that require the interaction between employees and