thesis_Daniela Noethen_print final - Jacobs University

Intergenerational Knowledge Transfer in Work Teams: A Multilevel Social Network Perspective
hypotheses about and test influencing factors as well as outcomes. Second, we have
contributed to the diversity literature by showing that age diversity exerts a positive, albeit
small influence on knowledge transfer in teams. Third, we have shown that knowledge
transfer in teams is rather a matter of dyads and not of individuals. Therefore, we would like
to add to Foss and colleagues’ (2010) call for more multilevel knowledge transfer research
including individual level variables by suggesting that multilevel research should, at best, also
include dyad level variables.
3.6.5. Practical implications
The results of the present study have, furthermore, several implications for practitioners in
organizations with regard to general influences on knowledge transfer and with regard to
intergenerational knowledge transfer within teams as a means to prevent knowledge loss.
First, especially the results for the control variables yield some interesting conclusions.
Results show that supervisors deal with a markedly higher frequency of knowledge transfer
with their subordinates than the subordinates amongst each other. Although this is in general a
favorable result, as supervisors often posses and should share knowledge that the subordinates
cannot access otherwise, it also imposes more time, effort, and energy costs on the supervisors
(Constant, Sproull, & Kiesler, 1996; Goodman & Darr, 1998; Reagans & McEvily, 2003;
Szulanski, 1996). Therefore, it is important to structure and organize these knowledge
transfers accordingly, so that they are conducted in an efficient manner. Moreover, results
show that employees with a full-time position transfer more knowledge than do those with a
part-time contract. Although this appears natural, these results point to the risk of part-time
employees being less well integrated into the knowledge networks within the team and the
organization as a whole. Especially when there are several part-time workers on the team, an
effort has to be made to the end that information and knowledge reach these employees to the
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