CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Mapping the Three Worlds of Knowledge Transfer

By

Réjean Landry, Nabil Amara and

Mathieu Ouimet

Prepared for Presentation at KU02: Colloquium on Knowledge Utilization and Transfer: Issues for the Individual, organization and Policy, St.

Catherine’s College, Oxford, July 01-03, 2002

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Acknowledgement

We want to acknowledge the financial support of the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for our projects on knowledge transfer and the participation of our students at this colloquium

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Purpose

To provide a metatheoretical framework for understanding the transformations that link individual behavior to organizations and public policy in the real world of knowledge transfer

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

A Metatheoretical Framework that is…

Micro because it starts from the individual as the basic unit of analysis to explain knowledge transferMeso because major explanatory variables include organizational incentives explaining the actions of individuals in knowledge transferMacro because choices of individuals and incentives created by organizations are influenced by the incentives provided by public policies regarding knowledge transfer

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

The Five Working Parts of the Metatheory

The researcher

The user of research

The knowledge exchanged between researchers and users

The coordinating rules of organizations

The incentives provided by public policies

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

The Micro Level

The micro level lays the stress on the individual as the basic unit of analysis

Knowledge transfer is explained by individual factors

Dominant approach: the science push

Focus: on supply of research evidence by researchers

Variations: different theories assume variations in ways individuals respond to incentives

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

The Micro Level Specified

Focus of research: on advancement of scholarly knowledge

Researchers: are the sources of ideas for directing research

Assumption about research results: provide solutions for concrete problems

Assumption about users: able to identify and translate research results in new or improved products or services ( high receptive capacity)

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Explanatory Variables at the Micro level

Number of publications, patents, …

Disciplines and specialties –some are more pertinent…

Level of funding

Policies (incentives) regarding funding of research

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

The Meso Level

Knowledge transfer is explained by organizational factorsDominant approach: the organizational interests modelFocus: on short term needs and expectations of professionals and managers located in organizationsEmerging approach: the «organization as a milieu or as a community of practice »Variations: many other approaches on the market of approaches…

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

The Meso Level Specified

Focus of research : on short term needs and context of users of research

Users: are the sources of ideas for directing research

Assumption about research results: provide solutions for concrete problems

Assumption about users: able to identify and translate research results in new or improved products or services ( high receptive capacity)

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Explanatory Variables of the Organizational Interests Approach

Policy areas– science-based or not--

Convergence between interests of organizations and research results

Hiearchical level of users

Size of organizations

Age of organizations

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Explanatory Variables of the Organization as a Milieu

Level of interactions between individuals

Level of collective learning (research in partnership, customized training, …)

Hypothesis: some milieux are more favorable for knowledge exchange than others

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Four Innovative Milieux

INTERACTIONS

Weak Strong

Wea

k

Exchange of information

Exchange of knowledge : ability to use

information to develop or

improve services

LE

AR

NIN

G

Str

on

g

Know how (competence)

learned in developing or

improving services

Creative milieux: Synergic

combinations of information,

knowledge and know how

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

The Macro Level

Knowledge transfer is explained primarily by policy factors

Issue: to provide incentives to induce individuals to do things they would not do otherwise

Focus: on provision of incentives either to researchers or to users of research

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Linkages across levels

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Micro to MesoInformal Linkages

Informal interactions between reseachers and users in organizations

Refer to face to face interactions, relational capital, social networks, social capital, trust…

Enhance ability to identify and develop opportunities of utilization of knowledge

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Micro to MesoFormal Linkages

Formal Linkages between researchers and users: provide opportunities for exchange…

Examples:– …Participation in professional conferences and

workshops involving researchers and users– …Membership on expert-panels, and committees

involving researchers and users,– …Newsletters– …Research reports sent by e-mail – …Research evidence available on the Internet– …Research evidence discussed by professional

associations, and other venues

•  

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Micro to Meso Knowledge Brokers

Knowledge brokers: are intermediaries between researchers and users

Intermediaries: individuals or organizations

Assumptions: brokers understand the tacit dimension of research (assumptions, extent of applicability, required skills, etc.) and the tacit dimensions of problems to be solved by users…

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Meso to Meso Students

Graduates move from universities to organizations that use research

Knowledge is embodied in highly qualified people

Knowledge embodied in students is translated in new or improved products or services, thus increasing the receptive capacity and the absorptive capacity of users of external knowledge

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Meso to Meso Job Mobility

Highly qualified workers move from organizations to organizations

Knowledge embodied in highly qualified people circulates through job mobility

Knowledge embodied in HQP is translated in new or improved products or services, thus increasing the receptive capacity of users of external knowledge

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Meso to Meso Equipment

Equipment is produced by one organization and used by another

Codified knowledge is embodied in advanced technologies

Use of advanced technologies increases the transfer of codified knowledge

Use of advanced technologies translates in new or improved products or services

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Micro to MesoVirtual Linkages

Focus is on the electronic infrastructure, on information systems

Shortcoming: not appropriate for exchange of tacit knowledge

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Micro to Meso through MacroFormal Research Alliances

Refer to formal partnerships and collaboration between researchers and users

These alliances are the results of public policies inducing research and users to forge alliances

Examples of organizations fostering such alliances:

Canadian Health Services Researh Foundation

Canadian Foundation for Innovation

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Putting the Working Parts Together

Researchers act to achieve valued outcomes regarding knowledge transfer

Decision makers choose to use research suitable for their decision situations

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

The Working Part of the Knowledge Transfer Framework

Attributes of organizations

Attributes of public policies

Attributes of researchers

Attributes of researchers

Use of research

Innovation in services

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

The Decision Making Situations

The attributes of the decision making situations in health services organizations involve:

A large number of decision makers

Many procedural rules constraining choices and uptake of research

Limited resources constraining choices and uptake of research

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

The Attributes of the Knowledge Exchanged between Researchers and

Users

Codified or tacit?

Reports of single research projects or syntheses?

Technical knowledge or knowledge translated into non technical language?

Customized or non customized knowledge?

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Exchange of Protected

Intellectual Property patents

copyright for computer software or databases

copyright for educational material

integrated circuit topographies

industrial designs

trademarks

plant breeders’ rights

Other (please specify)

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Exchange of Unprotected Intellectual Property

Knowledge to improve decisions made by decision-makers, professionals, patients

Knowledge corresponding to general principles, not usable products

Knowledge feeding the decision-making process at different stages: problem identification, formulation of alternatives, selection of one alternative, etc.

Knowledge not providing definitive results or specific recommendations for actions…

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Incentives Provided to Researchers for Knowledge Transfer

To what extent are activities of knowledge transfer undertaken by researchers :

– Documented in reports and CV?– Recognized at the meso (universities) and macro

(granting councils) levels?– Rewarded at the meso and macro levels?

Is the extent of documentation, recognition and rewards sufficient to represent suitable incentives to foster knowledge transfer?

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Incentives Provided to Users of Knowledge

To what extent are activities of knowledge uptake undertaken by users :

– Documented in reports and CV?– Recognized at the meso (organizations) and

macro (public policies) levels?– Rewarded at the meso and macro levels?

Is the extent of documentation, recognition and rewards sufficient to represent suitable incentives to foster knowledge uptake?

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Aggregated Results

Given the icentives provided to researchers and users, their decision making situations and the attributes of the knowledge exchanged, one should predict no transfer or very low transfer of research in health services organizations

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

However

Activities regarding knowledge transfer are underdocumented, underrecognized and under rewarded

Therefore, we do more than we know in knowledge transfer

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Conclusion

Knowledge transfer involves a complex process

Need to create incentives for better reporting and better recognition for activities regarding knowledge transfer

Need more theoretical and empirical investigations to shed light on new dimensions of knowledge transfer

CHSRF/CIHR Chair on Knowledge Transfer and Innovation

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca

Thank you for your attention

More on knowledge transfer at

http://kuuc.chair.ulaval.ca