Rituals: The secret to effective knowledge transfer, a CoBS Research Pod by CoBS Editor Ana Sofia Bello. Related research: Relational Work and the Knowledge Transfer Process: Rituals in Rural Ghana, Mira Slavova and Anca Metiu, Organization Science, https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2021.1441

From leader to manager to project team co-worker, transferring knowledge is a daily feature of our working lives. The contexts are many: training your team, communicating strategy, project management, business partnerships, and mergers and acquisitions.

But knowledge transfer is far from easy. People and organisations sometimes need to transmit large quantities of information and back this up with relationship building to create and facilitate links between participants in this transfer.

This is where potential problems can arise, not least in the coming together of the different worldviews and perceptions of those involved and their ways of seeing reality and interpreting or understanding information. This can be naturally due to cultural or professional backgrounds, values, beliefs and even deep-rooted assumptions.

The importance of rituals and symbolic actions in knowledge transfer

This is where recent research carried out by Prof. Anca Metiu at ESSEC Business School, together with fellow researcher Prof. Mira Slavova of Warwick Business School, offers practical and effective solutions to facilitate the transfer of knowledge.

Their research carried out among NGOs and rural farming populations in Ghana highlights the importance of rituals, symbolic actions, and even objects in achieving successful knowledge transfer.

In this CoBS Research Pod – Rituals: The secret to effective knowledge transfer – you will understand the key issues involved in knowledge transfer, have the opportunity to reflect upon yourself, your team, and organisation, and follow a practical checklist of actions to undertake to ensure the effective transfer of knowledge at work.

Download Rituals: The secret to effective knowledge transfer

In this research pod: understand the challenges and issues facing teams and organisations in transferring knowledge, assess your team and organisation, and learn how to effectively implement relational processes and positive triggers to successfully transfer knowledge.

Useful links:

• Link up with Prof. Anca Metiu on LinkedIn
• Discover the collection of CoBS Research Pods, mid-page on the CoBS website downloads page
• Read a related article: Why and when do employees hide knowledge?
• Discover ESSEC Business School and its MBA and EMBA degree portfolio.

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