EXPLORING KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER IN A NON-PROFIT HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATION

摘要

Knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer within the organization is critical not only to the sustainability of the organization but also to the quality of the products and services delivered by the organization. In a non-profit setting, this is normally less emphasized and many of the knowledge management research were focused on a profit making organizations. Several studies in the literature highlighted the importance of knowledge transfer within the organization mainly in a profit making settings (Karlsen & Gottschalk, 2004; Gold, Malhotra & Segars, 2001; Davenport & Prusak, 1998). It also highlighted some of the factors that impacted knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer activities such as organization culture, organization structure, training, fostering communities of practice, technology infrastructure, communication, rewards and incentives ( Alazmi and Zairi, 2003; Grover & Davenport, 2001; 2001; Karlsen & Gottschalk, 2004; Davenport & Prusak, 1998, Schein, 1990). In Anon-Profit settings, many of those factors could be the same, differ or might not even exist. Individual motivation of knowledge sharing and transfer is very important, but this normally cannot be achieved in isolation of other factors such as organization culture and organization structure. Direct and indirect rewards can be used to motivate knowledge sharing activities. While direct rewards are normally the practice in a profit making organizations, indirect rewards or self satisfaction is normally what motivates individuals working in non-profit human service organizations.