Managing organizational networks and knowledge transfer in a global service company

Alexandre Perrin

PhD Student

Nicolas Rolland

Professor

Tracy Stanley

Knowledge Manager

Track K: Knowledge & Innovation in Service Organizations

Wednesday 9:45-11:00 – Guyacan Room

24th Annual Conference of the SMS Conference – San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA

1. Issues raised by the article

Why are some firms able to enhance and to maximize knowledge residing in the whole organization while others are not? Theory of the Resource Based View of the firm (RBV)

How an organization can manage organizational networks and knowledge transfer? Knowledge Management Strategies (KMS)

What is the role of Communities of Practice to integrate knowledge in a global service company? Communities of Practice (CoPs)

24th Annual Conference of the SMS Conference – San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA

2. Methodology

Qualitative Research: Case study in Amadeus 31 interviews in 28 European and Latin America services were

conducted by the ‘Knowledge Manager’ of Amadeus (Sophia Antipolis – France) during two years.

To evaluate the effectiveness of a best practice transfer program in the Marketing division.

To assess the needs for Communities of Practice.

Quantitative Research The Collaborative Climate Index (developed by Sveiby & Simmons,

2002) on Communities of Practice in Amadeus. Survey on 92 firms (Rolland, 2004) on Knowledge Management

Strategies outside Amadeus.

24th Annual Conference of the SMS Conference – San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA

3. Results

Transfer of Best Practices Critical importance of face-to-face communication (technology

should be limited as an enabler) Complexity of factors that impact knowledge transfer (especially

cultural factors) Need for tackling knowledge transfer barriers

Communities of Practice Lack of commitment from top management has “helped” the

development of transfunctional communities. Networks of people are disconnected from each other with each

others.

Need for a Knowledge Manager who ‘re-plugs’ networks of people

24th Annual Conference of the SMS Conference – San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA

4. Discussion: The role of Knowledge Management

Knowledge Managers encourage and initiate investments in information technology as well as in the social environment.

Communities of Practice help to develop the appropriate relationships and context that allow knowledge to flow between those who have knowledge and those who require it.

Knowledge Management practices have shifted to socialization

Knowledge Management Strategy 1998 2000 2002

Technological (codification) 72 % 66 % 33%

Personalization (personal networks) 6 % 8 % 12%

Socialization (communities of practice) 12 % 26 % 55%