Proceedings of the 12th European Conference on Knowledge ...

Facilitating Trust Among Entrepreneurs’ To Access Tacit
Knowledge: The SLNIW Story
Martina Mullally 1 , Valerie Brett 1 , Bill O’Gorman 1 , James Carr 2 and Nerys Fuller-
Love 2
1
Centre for Enterprise Development and Regional Economy (CEDRE), School
<strong>of</strong> Business, Waterford Institute <strong>of</strong> Technology, Waterford, Ireland
2
School <strong>of</strong> Management and Business, Aberystwyth University, Wales
mmmullally@wit.ie
vbrett@wit.ie
wogorman@wit.ie
jac27@aber.ac.uk
nfl@aber.ac.uk
Abstract: The Sustainable Learning Networks in Ireland and Wales (SLNIW) project aims to increase <strong>the</strong>
competitiveness, creativity and innovative capacities and capabilities <strong>of</strong> micro-enterprises and SMEs in South
East Ireland and West Wales by increasing accessibility to local entrepreneurial knowledge via <strong>the</strong> establishment
<strong>of</strong> self-learning networks. To achieve this end <strong>the</strong> project created six networks, three in Ireland and three in
Wales where explicit and tacit knowledge flows between <strong>the</strong> participants. The networks consisted <strong>of</strong> two all male
groups, two all female groups and two mixed gender groups. The SLNIW project is part funded by <strong>the</strong> <strong>European</strong>
Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through <strong>the</strong> INTERREG 4A Ireland Wales Programme 2007-2013 and is
being undertaken by <strong>the</strong> Centre for Enterprise Development and Regional Economy (CEDRE) at <strong>the</strong> School <strong>of</strong>
Business, Waterford Institute <strong>of</strong> Technology, in partnership with <strong>the</strong> School <strong>of</strong> Management and Business,
Aberystwyth University in Wales. SLNIW is a longitudinal study spanning two years <strong>of</strong> engagement with <strong>the</strong>
network participants. The data ga<strong>the</strong>ring methods used include observations and questionnaires. This paper
outlines <strong>the</strong> role <strong>of</strong> SLNIW in facilitating trust among entrepreneurs and <strong>the</strong> monitoring <strong>of</strong> initial trustful
communication in <strong>the</strong> learning networks in supporting <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> tacit knowledge flows. The findings <strong>of</strong>
this study suggest that when establishing learning networks trust is a key factor in increasing accessibility to tacit
knowledge. Therefore, reinforcing <strong>the</strong> importance <strong>of</strong> establishing trust, <strong>the</strong> consequences <strong>of</strong> breaking trust and
<strong>the</strong> necessity <strong>of</strong> trust is very important to increasing accessibility to entrepreneurial tacit knowledge. This paper
contributes to <strong>the</strong> existing body <strong>of</strong> research on tacit knowledge and highlights <strong>the</strong> importance <strong>of</strong> trust in <strong>the</strong>
knowledge transfer process and how a self-learning network can enable greater accessibility to tacit knowledge.
This research has implications for academics, practitioners, entrepreneurs and policy makers who are concerned
with <strong>the</strong> establishment <strong>of</strong> networks to propagate knowledge and technology transfer.
Keywords: Tacit knowledge, entrepreneurs, trust, self-learning networks, business networks and longitudinal
study
1. Introduction
The SLNIW project aimed to facilitate trust among entrepreneurs to access tacit knowledge via <strong>the</strong>
establishment <strong>of</strong> business learning networks in South East Ireland and West Wales. The SLNIW
project has established six self-learning networks; three in South East Ireland and three in West
Wales each consisting <strong>of</strong> a male, a female, and a mixed gender network in each region. The
establishment <strong>of</strong> networks creates a platform for knowledge sharing in which entrepreneurial minded
owner/managers <strong>of</strong> micro-enterprises and SMEs can come toge<strong>the</strong>r in <strong>the</strong>ir respective groups or
through <strong>the</strong> groups combined to learn and generate new knowledge. The basis for <strong>the</strong> foundation <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> project was centred on <strong>the</strong> economic value that can be derived from social communication,
networks and <strong>the</strong> networking <strong>of</strong> entrepreneurs. The external relationships developed through
networking helps to foster trust as high trust levels are central in terms <strong>of</strong> extracting a deeper value
from <strong>the</strong> exchange relationship (Hoang and Antoncic, 2003).
Entrepreneurs hold valuable deposits <strong>of</strong> tacit knowledge. Increasing accessibility to this knowledge
resource can help entrepreneurs overcome <strong>the</strong> challenges <strong>the</strong>y face to implementing growth and
development. The benefit <strong>of</strong> networking for entrepreneurs is <strong>the</strong> access to information,
entrepreneurial advice and a constant flow <strong>of</strong> up to date industrial and commercial knowledge.
Empirical research shows that <strong>the</strong>re is an association between networking and growth (Jarillo, 1989;
Chell and Baines, 2000) and that an entrepreneur’s personal networks and external relations are a
critical resource in overcoming barriers associated with growth and development.
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