Sharing Practical Knowledge in Hostile Environments: a Case Study
File version
Author(s)
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Dr. Darryl Dymock
Date
Size
102263 bytes
File type(s)
application/pdf
Location
License
Abstract
Purpose. This paper presents an empirical contribution towards the understanding of the process of sharing practical knowledge (PK) in a hostile work environment. The particular focus is an instance of the process of sharing PK between experienced and non-experienced workers in a biopharmaceutical industry. Methodology. An interpretive perspective was applied in the inductive and qualitative empirical study. Case study methodology was applied in order to analyse the sharing of practical knowledge. Findings. Research findings from this study have unraveled characteristics of this process that to date have not been discussed in the literature. First, Learning-by-observing has limitations in promoting PK sharing in hostile environments. Second, because there is a wide range of alternative solutions for performing a specific task, sharing PK lends itself to political uses. Third, socialisation is important in order to facilitate the sharing of PK, but it is not enough. Political issues surrounding PK sharing shape socialisation processes and therefore provide better explanatory base for PK sharing. Fourth, the use of standard work processes to share PK is limited in complex tasks. Thus, it is argued that the main features of PK support high levels of uncertainty that in turn favours the use of political behavior in the process of sharing PK. Originality. Focusing on sharing PK in hostile environments is important since the literature has mainly focused on organisations in which consensus and participation were either implicitly or explicitly assumed
Journal Title
Journal of Workplace Learning
Conference Title
Book Title
Edition
Volume
20
Issue
3
Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement
© 2008 Emerald. This is the author-manuscript version of this paper. Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal's website for access to the definitive, published version.
Item Access Status
Note
Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject
Education systems
Human resources and industrial relations
Strategy, management and organisational behaviour