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

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Charles Gagné et al<br />

attributable to work accidents. To grapple with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se many challenges, an occupati<strong>on</strong>al health and<br />

safety (OHS) preventi<strong>on</strong> agency in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> mining sector approached a team <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> IRSST researchers and<br />

asked <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m to document <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s that foster <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> safe and competent integrati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> new workers,<br />

particularly c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s c<strong>on</strong>ducive to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> transmissi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> knowledge between experienced and new<br />

workers.<br />

4. Ensuring <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> translati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> evidence-based knowledge <strong>on</strong> knowledge<br />

management: using a framework <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> practice<br />

In order to maximize <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> translati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> knowledge emerging from this research project, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

research team sought <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> assistance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a KTA. The KTA was instrumental in supporting <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> team’s<br />

work, particularly before <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> start <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> actual research phase, by helping to implement <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s<br />

that would ensure effective knowledge translati<strong>on</strong>.<br />

4.1 The anchoring phase<br />

The purpose <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this first phase was to provide <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> researchers with practical informati<strong>on</strong>, increase<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir knowledge <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> workplaces c<strong>on</strong>cerned, and ensure a corresp<strong>on</strong>dence between <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> research<br />

aim and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> needs expressed. In order to establish interactive dialogue between <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> researchers and<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> main SHs right from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> outset, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> KTA first undertook to build a partnership. The partnership<br />

building phase took two years. An exploratory study carried out by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> research team helped pinpoint<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>text in which a study <strong>on</strong> KM should be carried out in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> mining sector. This study also served<br />

to build relati<strong>on</strong>ships with certain SHs and companies in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> sector. C<strong>on</strong>currently with this exploratory<br />

study, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> KTA’s work helped to c<strong>on</strong>cretely tie <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> research project to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> stakeholders’ needs by<br />

using a number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> strategies. An in-depth interview was c<strong>on</strong>ducted with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> individual who requested<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> research in order to identify <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> essential SHs in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> mining sector. This individual turned out to be<br />

a knowledge champi<strong>on</strong> (KC) (J<strong>on</strong>es, 2003) in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> sector. The KTA <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>n prepared a map identifying<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> organizati<strong>on</strong>s and individuals involved in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> sector; this tool brought to light <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> linkages am<strong>on</strong>g<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> different SHs. To enlist <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> commitment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> organizati<strong>on</strong>s identified and to document issues<br />

pertaining to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> recruitment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> new workers and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> training tools/mechanisms <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y generally used,<br />

meetings were held with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir representatives (senior executives, OHS and training managers),<br />

members <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> research team, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> KTA. The SHs’ comments informed <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> researchers during<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> meetings, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> participating organizati<strong>on</strong>s’ involvement was c<strong>on</strong>firmed through follow-up<br />

support letters and by designating some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m to sit <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> follow-up committee.<br />

C<strong>on</strong>ducted prior to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> research phase, this work led to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> setting up <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a follow-up committee<br />

comprising all <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> SHs from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> sector c<strong>on</strong>cerned by this type <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> research. In additi<strong>on</strong> to OHS<br />

representatives (from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> mining sector’s OHS associati<strong>on</strong> and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Workers’ Compensati<strong>on</strong> Board),<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> committee included representatives <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> two principal trade uni<strong>on</strong>s, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> employers’ associati<strong>on</strong>, a<br />

government employment and skill development agency, and a human resources organizati<strong>on</strong> from<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> mining industry.<br />

4.2 The research phase<br />

According to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> network-based framework <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> practice, new knowledge generated should be <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

subject <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> exchanges throughout <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> research process. To foster and maintain this dynamic, it was<br />

decided that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> follow-up committee would meet twice a year. Regular and pers<strong>on</strong>alized c<strong>on</strong>tacts<br />

were also developed between <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> SHs and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> KTA to allow for <strong>on</strong>going exchanges am<strong>on</strong>g all <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

actors, both social and scientific. Thanks to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> dynamics and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> relati<strong>on</strong>ship created, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> research<br />

team members were invited <strong>on</strong> numerous occasi<strong>on</strong>s to participate as observers in committees<br />

reserved exclusively for certain SHs/end-users. These formal and informal exchanges fuelled <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

research work by providing <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> researchers with a clearer grasp <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> companies’ current KM<br />

practices and enabling <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m to document <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s that would have to be implemented to<br />

facilitate <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> eventual use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> results <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> research.<br />

Moreover, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> field research c<strong>on</strong>text also promoted exchanges in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> mining sector itself. The<br />

presence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> research team at five mining sites prompted direct exchanges <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> knowledge with<br />

managers and workers at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> participating mining sites.<br />

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