Sticky Knowledge: Barriers to Knowing in the FirmWhy don't best practices spread within firms? What exactly is sticky knowledge? Having recognized that knowledge assets are rapidly becoming their most precious source of competitive advantage, a large number of organizations are now attempting to transfer best practices. Yet best practices still remain stubbornly immobile. Sticky Knowledge reveals that the transfer of practices is a complex phenomenon, and demonstrates the range of barriers to transferring best practices within the firm. Written in a brief and accessible format, Gabriel Szulanski defines the popular concept of stickiness and its operationalization, providing a roadmap for understanding and further researching this topical issue. Taking a fresh look at accepted wisdom, and presenting research findings that conflict with some established views, the book will be essential reading for academics and students addressing issues related to knowledge and the firm. Practising managers and MBA students will also find it of immense value. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Stickiness Best Practices and Knowledge Transfer | 9 |
Transfers of knowledge might be sticky ie difficult | 11 |
Stickiness | 12 |
Detecting stickiness | 13 |
Stickiness and Firm Performance | 16 |
Appropriating rents through intrafirm transfer of practices | 19 |
stickiness hinders rent appropriation | 23 |
Predictors of difficulty overall | 55 |
Summary | 56 |
Research and Practical Implications | 57 |
Implications for practice | 64 |
Summary and Conclusion | 68 |
Significance | 69 |
not just incentives | 73 |
Research Design | 78 |
Predictors of Stickiness | 25 |
Characteristics of source and stickiness | 27 |
Characteristics of recipient and stickiness | 29 |
Characteristics of context and stickiness | 30 |
Types of Stickiness | 33 |
A typology of stickiness | 35 |
Case Studies | 40 |
Wave II stalls | 42 |
Colorado doesnt convert | 45 |
teething problems of a converted Colorado | 46 |
the SHOULD scenario does not persist | 48 |
Summary | 50 |
Statistical Findings | 52 |
Predictors of difficulty for each stage of the transfer | 53 |
indepth clinical examination of transfers | 81 |
twostep largesample survey | 84 |
introduction to the results of the extensive phase | 92 |
Analysis and results of the extensive phase | 95 |
Robustness of results of the extensive phase | 99 |
Limitations | 100 |
Appendix 2 | 102 |
Example of Cover Letter | 107 |
Partial List of Practices Studied | 108 |
Questionnaire Phase II | 109 |
| 126 | |
| 136 | |