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

Martina Mullally et al
participants that information exchange will grow with increased trust. Increased trust has developed
from attendance at network meetings and hence <strong>the</strong> value <strong>of</strong> participant attendance.
The monthly evaluations collected after each network session indicated that 69% <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> network
participants had been in contact with o<strong>the</strong>r network members and that between <strong>the</strong> monthly meetings
communication between networks members has ranged from 69% to 81% with many network
members contacting more than one network participant. What is valuable to know is that business
issues were <strong>the</strong> primary purpose for that communication, which shows that <strong>the</strong> entrepreneurs’
accessibility to tacit knowledge has increased via <strong>the</strong>ir involvement with <strong>the</strong> SLNIW networks. The
value <strong>of</strong> increasing accessibility to tacit knowledge will in turn increase <strong>the</strong> propensity for <strong>the</strong> transfer
<strong>of</strong> tacit knowledge. The personal benefits and skills that <strong>the</strong> participants have gained from being part
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> SLNIW network can only have a positive economic affect on <strong>the</strong> economies <strong>of</strong> South East
Ireland and West Wales. Subsequently, SLNIW extends <strong>the</strong> findings <strong>of</strong> Chen et al. (2006) as it
provides an alternative solution to business learning networks and it can act as a mechanism to
effectively manage sources <strong>of</strong> embedded knowledge as it enables participants to develop a trust
relationship to share business problems and experiences with each o<strong>the</strong>r.
However, <strong>the</strong> quantitative data ga<strong>the</strong>red did not <strong>of</strong>fer much insight into how trust was established or
broken or about <strong>the</strong> process and content <strong>of</strong> tacit knowledge exchange between <strong>the</strong> network
participants. Therefore, <strong>the</strong> researchers propose to undertake a more in-depth analysis by ga<strong>the</strong>ring
fur<strong>the</strong>r qualitative data via focus groups and interviews with a sample <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> network participants,
which will take place directly after <strong>the</strong> self-facilitated stage <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> project and at a time when <strong>the</strong>
networks have been operating without <strong>the</strong> support <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> SLNIW project team. The objective <strong>of</strong>
carrying out this analysis is to provide a dynamic account <strong>of</strong> any changes in trust relationships and
tacit knowledge exchange as a result <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> change in process or over a period <strong>of</strong> time. This study
could provide <strong>the</strong> foundation for a fur<strong>the</strong>r and much needed study about Knowledge Management
(KM) for entrepreneurs and SME networks. In this knowledge driven global economy, knowledge
itself can be seen as a commodity that <strong>of</strong>fers <strong>the</strong> only ‘true sustainable competitive edge’. If
knowledge is effectively managed i.e. collected, structured and disseminated, it will bring significant
benefits to organisations and <strong>the</strong> communities in which <strong>the</strong>y work (Lee and Lan, 2011).
7. Conclusions
Essentially, small business learning networks contain rich sources <strong>of</strong> tacit knowledge, which can be
found in entrepreneurs’ skills, behaviour and embedded knowledge. Given <strong>the</strong> difficulties in
transferring tacit knowledge, direct face-to-face social interaction, hands on learning through
communication, observation and experience are found to be effective in <strong>the</strong> diffusion <strong>of</strong> tacit
knowledge (Haldin-Herrgard, 2000). Subsequently, <strong>the</strong> vast cohort <strong>of</strong> knowledge transfer does not
happen through formal structures, ra<strong>the</strong>r it is more associated with people engaging on an informal
basis and developing interpersonal relationships based on this interaction.
Working toge<strong>the</strong>r in <strong>the</strong> current economic climate is crucial for small business owners and
entrepreneurs seeking to be innovative and creative. Through learning from o<strong>the</strong>rs this project has
enabled network members to direct <strong>the</strong>ir own learning to achieve business growth, expansion and
long term sustainability.
The 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 as it
illustrates that <strong>the</strong> establishment <strong>of</strong> trust between participants in a business learning network is vital
for <strong>the</strong> transfer <strong>of</strong> tacit knowledge. Thus, if universities and o<strong>the</strong>r intermediaries engaged in
developing such networks can find, <strong>the</strong> best ways to facilitate a learning environment in which
participants feel <strong>the</strong>y can place <strong>the</strong>ir trust tacit knowledge flows will increase and this is positively
correlated with both sustainable business growth and regional economic development (Mohammed
and Stankosky, 2009).
References
Bryman, A. (1988) Doing Research in Organisations, London: Routledge.
Chell, E., and Baines, S. (2000) “Networking, Entrepreneurship and Micro-business Behaviour”, Entrepreneurship
& Regional Development, Vol.12, pp 195-215.
Chen, S., Duan, Y. & Edwards, J.S. (2006) In Encyclopaedia <strong>of</strong> Communities <strong>of</strong> Practice in Information and
Knowledge. IN E., C & S., C. (Edns) Inter-organisational Knowledge Transfer Process Model. Ideal Group
Publisher.
693