Knowledge Transfer and Reuse in Group Project Work

Project Title

Knowledge Transfer and Reuse in Group Project Work

Project Leader

Prof James Kwok

School / Dept

SBM / ISMT

Project Duration

Aug 2002 - Sept 2003

Project Description

This project attempted to improve the effectiveness of group learning. It addressed the questions: how does knowledge sharing and reuse happen in a small group? Is the decentralized knowledge reuse more favourable and useful for group members compared with the centralized knowledge reuse approach? What drives knowledge sharing and reuse effectively? This project applied the knowledge reuse theory and the knowledge management tools to support group learning. A study on the group members’ behaviour in knowledge sharing and reuse was conducted. It looked into the sociopsychological factors that encouraged and motivated them to work in knowledge management environment. The captured information was accessible and reusable by other students. This project had implications for all courses using groupwork and team projects.

Project Outcome

• A set of questionnaire was designed to test the students’ perception concerning knowledge sharing based on their experience acquired in group projects. The questionnaire consisted of two parts. In the first part, there were eight factors as items, based on past relevant studies, which are perceived critical to knowledge sharing, including knowledge friendly culture, motivational practices, multiple available channels, leader supportiveness, trust, pre-existing relationship, common language and level of technology. In the second part, four items were included, which are Email, Knowledge repository, Face-to-face (F2F) meeting and Formal seminar. It was found that building trusting relationships between individuals was extremely critical for successful knowledge sharing among them, and on the other hand, the level of technology was least concerned during the process of knowledge sharing. Also, Email and F2F meeting were more frequently used to share knowledge with others; knowledge repository and formal seminar, on the other hand, were less popular.

• A report on the above findings was composed and presented in: i)  Kwok, S.H. and Gao, S."Knowledge Sharing Community in P2P Network: A Study of Motivational Perspective" Journal of Knowledge Management (JKM) (2004 forthcoming) and ii)  Kwok, S.H. and Gao, S. "Knowledge Sharing Community in P2P Network and its Application Features: A Study of Motivation Perspective". Proceedings of the Pacific-Asia Conference on Information Systems (PACIS2003). Adelaide, Australia, 2003.

Status

Completed

Project Documents
(Only accessible by HKUST users)

• Project Plan
• Progress Report
• Final Report

Adaptation

Full Project