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

Albena Antonova and Aniko Csepregi
HU during <strong>the</strong> same period. Based on <strong>the</strong> observed results, it can be revealed how middle managers
consider knowledge sharing s<strong>of</strong>t techniques in <strong>the</strong> investigated countries. These employees can be
found in <strong>the</strong> mid-level management between <strong>the</strong> top-level and <strong>the</strong> first-level (operational level)
management. This results in being a role model for <strong>the</strong> employees <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir department or group,
having a key position in vertical communication, being responsible for achieving business objectives
by setting goals for <strong>the</strong>ir own department or group, providing suggestion and feedback to <strong>the</strong> top
management for helping <strong>the</strong> improvement <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> organization.
According to <strong>the</strong> survey results, middle managers have discovered <strong>the</strong> following knowledge sharing
techniques as most popular and useful ones:
Figure 2: Most popular KS techniques according to Bulgarian and Hungarian middle managers
3.1 Analysis <strong>of</strong> results
As it can be observed on Figure 2 <strong>the</strong> middle managers from both countries ranged <strong>the</strong> s<strong>of</strong>t
techniques for KS differently. We will analyze first <strong>the</strong> most popular techniques in both countries, and
<strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> differences will be highlighted. Based on <strong>the</strong> empirical results, <strong>the</strong> framework for evaluation
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most popular KS s<strong>of</strong>t techniques will be composed (Table 2).
According to <strong>the</strong> survey data, middle managers from both countries considered teamwork as <strong>the</strong> most
popular and useful s<strong>of</strong>t technique for KS (50% BG, 49% HU). Teamwork is defined as activity <strong>of</strong>
“individuals working toge<strong>the</strong>r in a cooperative environment to achieve common team goals through
sharing knowledge and skills” (Tarricone, 2002, pp 641). Teamwork is incorporated in organizational
practices, and some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most important factors for teamwork success include: commitment to team
success and shared goals, interdependence, interpersonal skills, open communication, appropriate
team composition, and finally commitment to <strong>the</strong> team processes (Tarricone et al., 2002). Therefore,
we can identify that teamwork is both push and pull KS technique. The persons involved in teamwork
are both knowledge owners and knowledge perceivers. In <strong>the</strong> same time it can be considered that
teamwork is an active KS technique, because its success depends from <strong>the</strong> efforts for externalization
<strong>of</strong> knowledge and its implementation in final outputs. Teamwork is a secondary KS process, as its
main purpose is delivery <strong>of</strong> final team results. The role <strong>of</strong> knowledge sharing is just to facilitate and
support <strong>the</strong> delivery <strong>of</strong> team results. Teamwork is organizational s<strong>of</strong>t technique leading to increased
organizational performance and lead to increased knowledge in organizations.
Hungarian middle managers consider mainly formal trainings and knowledge building methods as
most important instruments and s<strong>of</strong>t techniques for KS. Trainings are selected as leading KS
technique for <strong>the</strong>m (53%). Trainings are usually initiated by knowledge seekers, and represent a push
KS technique. The main efforts here are put into knowledge internalization (absorption and retention
<strong>of</strong> knowledge). Trainings are formal and company-specific methods for increasing personal
knowledge and lead to long-term knowledge building. Not last, trainings contribute to personal
knowledge improvement.
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