Good Example Of Essay On Knowledge Sharing

The similar nature of processes has given way to the claims that knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer may be used interchangeably. Their nature of interchangeability helps us deduce that the functions involve in both the processes are similar (Birgit Renzle, 2008). The definition of knowledge sharing thus arises as an action that occurs among the staffs in an organization for the diffusion of relevant and important information on the institution (Bartol & Srivastava 2002). For a competitive firm, knowledge sharing may exist as one of the most valuable activities for knowledge management in tackling the competition (Yang 2007). The purpose of knowledge sharing by the employees is assumed to be the transfer of this knowledge to the resources and assets maintained in the organization so that they can contribute optimally in standing up to the competence in the market (Dawson 2001).
The same has been confirmed in a report, which states that the individual knowledge inventory that employees possess will have only a limited impact in the organizational unless they share it throughout the organization (Inkpen, 2000, p. 124).
The reason for this extended impact is that organization staffs become more enhanced competitively through knowledge sharing, and mutual generation of new knowledge is facilitated (Sveiby 2001). The creation of social capital is the ultimate achievement, which contributes to continuous improvement through the process of dialogs and learning (Yang 2007).
Individuals Wah (2000) have found the support of this argument in results, which suggest that a major hindrance in organizational knowledge managements is the habit of hoarding knowledge.
Despite the advantages of knowledge management, the knowledge sharing process is a complex process for many organizations; which may be due to the weak systems that they maintain for the placement and extraction of residing knowledge in the institution (Huber, 1991). The transfer of knowledge in and also outside an organization with proper knowledge management generally occurs through channels of communication and flow of information (Alavi and Leidner, 2001). These channels of transfer of knowledge may be formal as well as informal or individual as well as impersonal (Holtham and Courtney, 1998). The use of informal mechanisms, comprising of informal meetings, seminars or break time discussions, is assumed to be efficient in socialization promotion, but they may be limited in scope (Holtham and Courtney, 1998).
On the other hand, formal channels like tours and training assemblies will probably mean that there is higher knowledge dissemination but then they may hinder creativity. Individual channels like personal transfers and are more effective when it is about imparting vastly circumstantial precise knowledge. On the other hand, impersonal channels like knowledge repositories seem to be appropriate for transferring of knowledge that is generalizable to all situations (Alavi and Leidner, 2001). Besides these, much of related literature and experience references suggest that the mutual work of employees for an extended period of time also leads to an effective and fruitful sharing of knowledge (Trust and Knowledge sharing: A critical combination).