Assessing the Suitability of Process and Information
Technology in Supporting Knowledge Transfer
Chien-Hsing Wu
Department of Information Management/National University of Kaohsiung 700, Kaohsiung University Rd., Kaohsiung, 811 Taiwan
chwu@nuk.edu.tw
Shu-Chen Kao
Kun Shan University of Technology
Department of Information Management/Kun Shan University of Technology kaosc@mail.ksu.edu.tw
Lan-Hsin Shih
Department of Asia Pacific Industry Business Management National University of Kaohsiung
drankie.shin@msa.hinet.net
Abstract
Knowledge transfer is one of the most important issues in the knowledge sharing context. In fact, information technology’s (IT) supporting role has already been addressed in knowledge transfer processes. Based on this process proposed by Garavelli et al. (2002), this paper conducted an assessment using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique. This was carried out in order to disclose the support suitability of IT types for knowledge transfer. The assessment hierarchy has three levels, which are the goal, process, and support levels. According to the 21 domain specialists and scholars’ assessment analysis, the main results suggest that (1) for goal level support, both the knowledge provider’s and receiver’s cognitive characteristics in the main stages of the knowledge transfer process (e.g. thinking behavior, preferences) were of more importance, while (2) requirements of cognitive characteristics management, interactive communication environment, and the tools for consistency analysis of cognitive characteristics were of more importance for process level support. The discussion and implications are also addressed.
Keywords: Knowledge transfer, Information technology, Analytic hierarchy process, Cognitive characteristics
