Status Differences and Knowledge Transfer: The Effect of Incentives

2017 ◽  
Vol 93 (1) ◽  
pp. 213-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katlijn Haesebrouck ◽  
Martine Cools ◽  
Alexandra Van den Abbeele
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Cooperative Behavior ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Equal Status ◽  
Group Incentives ◽  
Job Titles ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Amount Of Knowledge ◽  
Status Differences

ABSTRACT We examine how incentive systems influence knowledge transfer between group members with equal or different status who solve an interdependent task. In our experiment, group members receive group or individual incentives, while status is manipulated by assigning job titles with corresponding role descriptions. Although all conditions require knowledge sharing to maximize payoffs, our results suggest that significantly more knowledge is shared under group incentives relative to individual incentives when status differences are present, whereas the amount of knowledge shared does not differ across these incentive manipulations for equal-status groups. These findings are in line with theory suggesting that individual incentives can motivate knowledge sharing among equal-status groups, but cannot overcome the negative interactions that arise under status differences. Instead, group incentives are required to induce cooperative behavior that mitigates the negative effects of status differences on knowledge sharing. We contribute to the literature and practice by showing that the effect of incentives depends on the social context and that job titles can have unintended consequences.

scholarly journals Pathogen Threat and In-group Cooperation

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hirotaka Imada ◽  
Nobuhiro Mifune
Keyword(s):  
Selection Pressure ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Cooperative Behavior ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Behavioral Immune System ◽  
Group Cooperation ◽  
Group Members ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Intergroup Behavior

Disease-causing parasites and pathogens play a pivotal role in intergroup behavior. Previous studies have suggested that the selection pressure posed by pathogen threat has resulted in in-group assortative sociality, including xenophobia and in-group favoritism. While the current literature has collated numerous studies on the former, strikingly, there has not been much research on the relationship between pathogen threat and in-group cooperation. Drawing upon prior studies on the function of the behavioral immune system (BIS), we argued that the BIS might facilitate cooperation with in-group members as a reactive behavioral immune response to pathogen threat. More specifically, we held that individuals might utilize cooperative behavior to ensure that they can receive social support when they have contracted an infectious disease. We reviewed existing findings pertaining to the potential role of the BIS in in-group cooperation and discussed directions for future studies.

scholarly journals Preference for hierarchy is associated with reduced empathy and increased counter-empathy towards others, especially out-group targets

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sa-kiera Tiarra Jolynn Hudson ◽  
Mina Cikara ◽  
Jim Sidanius
Keyword(s):  
Social Dominance ◽  
Group Membership ◽  
Social Dominance Orientation ◽  
Group Setting ◽  
Group Boundaries ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Prejudicial Attitudes ◽  
Status Differences

The capacity to empathize with others facilitates prosocial behavior. People’s willingness and capacity to empathize, however, is often contingent upon the target’s group membership – people are less empathic towards those they categorize as out-group members. In competitive or threatening intergroup contexts, people may even feel pleasure (counter-empathy) in response to out-group members’ misfortunes. Social dominance orientation (SDO), or the extent to which people prefer and promote group-based inequalities, is an ideological variable that is associated with a competitive view of the world, increased prejudicial attitudes, and decreased empathy. Thus, higher levels of SDO should be associated with reduced empathy and increased counter-empathy in general, but especially towards those whose subjugation maintains group inequalities. Across three studies we show that among White individuals, higher SDO levels are associated with less empathy, and more counter-empathy in response to others’ good and bad fortunes. More importantly, these reductions in empathy and increases in schadenfreude as a function of SDO were significantly stronger for Asian and Black targets than for in-group White targets when group boundaries were made salient prior to the empathy ratings. Finally, in a fourth study we show that this phenomenon is not dependent upon a history of status differences: higher SDO scores were associated with decreased empathy and increased counter-empathy for competitive out-group (relative to in-group) targets in a novel group setting. We discuss implications of these effects for hierarchy maintenance.

The curve of knowledge transfer: a theoretical model

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pasquale De Luca ◽  
Mirian Cano Rubio
Keyword(s):  
Differential Equation ◽  
Ordinary Differential Equation ◽  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Transfer Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Variation Rate ◽  
Effectiveness And Efficiency ◽  
Amount Of Knowledge

Purpose The knowledge transfer plays a key role in the firm’s capability to develop and to maintain a strategic competitive advantage over time. The capability of the firm to develop an efficient and effective process of knowledge transfer increases the internal skills and then the capability to compete in the business with positive effects on the performance. In order to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of the knowledge transfer process it must be consider two main variables: the amount of knowledge to be transferred and the speed of the process. In this contest, the purpose of this paper is to developed a theoretical model, defined the knowledge transfer curve, able to evaluate the knowledge transfer process on the basis of its speed. Design/methodology/approach The curve of the knowledge transfer is based on the methodology of the learning curve. The curve of the knowledge transfer process can be evaluated on the basis of two main variables: the first is the content of knowledge to be transferred. It refers to the quality and quantity of the information to be transferred within the firm; and the second is the speed of the knowledge transfer process. It refers to the time in which the knowledge transfer can be realized. The function of the knowledge transfer is defined using ordinary differential equation. Findings There is an inverse relationship between time t and the variation rate r. The higher the variable r, the faster the knowledge transfer toward the level K. Therefore, the variable r measures the efficiency and effectiveness of the knowledge transfer process. On the basis of these considerations, manager must evaluate their policies about the knowledge transfer on the basis of their effects on the variable r: only the policy that increases its value can be considered effective for the knowledge transfer process. Originality/value The originality resides in the development of a theoretical model that is able to capture and measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the knowledge transfer. It is possible to define a curve of knowledge transfer on the basis of these two variables: content of the knowledge to be transferred and the time of the transfer process, by using an ordinary differential equation.

Knowledge Management

2018 ◽  
pp. 232-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kijpokin Kasemsap
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Human Capital ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
Knowledge Mapping ◽  
Sustainable Competitive Advantage ◽  
Process Technology

This chapter indicates the overview of Knowledge Management (KM); KM and innovation; KM and human capital; KM and social capital; KM and Human Resource Management (HRM); the significant perspectives on KM; and the advanced issues of knowledge transfer, knowledge sharing, and knowledge mapping. KM is the advanced method toward better organizational performance through knowledge transfer and knowledge sharing, and involves various organizational factors, such as people, process, technology, and culture. Utilizing KM can enhance the execution of innovation, human capital, social capital, decision making, and HRM in modern organizations. Regarding KM perspectives, creating and distributing new knowledge through effective knowledge transfer and knowledge sharing have the potential to increase organizational performance and gain sustainable competitive advantage in the knowledge era.

scholarly journals Drought decreases cooperative sentinel behavior and affects vocal coordination in meerkats

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 1558-1566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramona Rauber ◽  
Tim H Clutton-Brock ◽  
Marta B Manser
Keyword(s):  
Small Groups ◽  
Cooperative Behavior ◽  
Drought Condition ◽  
Drought Period ◽  
Suricata Suricatta ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Dry Conditions ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Fitness Benefits ◽  
Cooperative Behaviors

Abstract Cooperative breeding often evolved in harsh and arid habitats characterized by high levels of environmental uncertainty. Most forms of cooperative behavior have energetic costs and previous studies have shown that the contributions of individuals to alloparental provisioning are conditional on their food intake. However, the effect of naturally occurring, extreme environmental conditions on the persistence of costly forms of cooperative behaviors and their coordination by communication remain unknown. Here, we show that in meerkats (Suricata suricatta) the probability to act as sentinel, a cooperative vigilance behavior, was the same for typically occurring dry and wet conditions, but significantly reduced during a drought condition with almost no rain, especially in young individuals, members of small groups and groups with pups. The duration an individual stayed on sentinel guard, however, was most reduced during dry conditions. Besides reductions in sentinel behavior, the vocal coordination of foraging meerkats differed when comparing drought and wet conditions. Individuals responded more strongly to playbacks of sentinel “all-clear” calls and close calls, resulting in less vigilance and more foraging behavior during the drought condition. We conclude that while meerkats are adapted to commonly occurring dry periods with low rainfall, the extreme drought period with almost no rain, led to a decrease of the frequency of costly forms of cooperative behaviors in favor of behaviors that maximize direct fitness benefits and also affected the vocal coordination among group members.

Knowledge Sharing and Pervasive Computing

2011 ◽  
pp. 285-297
Author(s):  
Phillip W.J. Brook
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Pervasive Computing ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Team Work ◽  
Social Aspects ◽  
To Come ◽  
Changing Attitudes ◽  
The Impact

This chapter explores the implications of knowledge sharing in an era of pervasive computing, and concludes that, perhaps counter-intuitively, people will need to come together more to establish the trust that is necessary for effective knowledge sharing. Practices such as team-work should result in closer ties between peers, and this relationship can encourage increased sharing of knowledge related to the work at hand. With the advent of pervasive computing, the question can be asked as to what the impact of this technology could/will have on the sharing of knowledge in a team situation. At the same time, the changing attitudes to how knowledge is acquired make it even more important that knowledge is acquired in its historical context, which may be best achieved by person-to-person knowledge transfer. It is argued that these social aspects will be more important in a world of pervasive computing than in conventional businesses.

Continuous Knowledge Transfer – A pragmatic approach to knowledge sharing in the European Patent Office

2016 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanno Schombacher ◽  
Philippe Lahorte ◽  
Lars Vistisen ◽  
Anton Versluis ◽  
Fernando Correia Martins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
European Patent Office ◽  
European Patent ◽  
Patent Office ◽  
Pragmatic Approach

Saving Face or Sharing Personal Information? A Cross-Cultural Study on Knowledge Sharing

2006 ◽  
Vol 05 (01) ◽  
pp. 73-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiping Zhang ◽  
Thippaya Chintakovid ◽  
Xiaoning Sun ◽  
Yan Ge ◽  
Kan Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
National Culture ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Research Technology ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Cross Cultural Study ◽  
Knowledge Based Economy ◽  
American Students ◽  
Group Members

Knowledge sharing within an organisation is increasingly important in today's fast-moving and knowledge-based economy (Chow et al., 2000, Journal of Management Accounting, 12, 65–95; Bukowitz and Petrash, 1997, Research Technology Management, 40, 24–31). This empirical study examines the interaction effects of national culture and group members' relationship (in-group/out-group) on knowledge-sharing attitude. A total of 197 Chinese undergraduate students and 111 American undergraduate students participated in the study. The first finding was that both Chinese and American students were more willing to share personal knowledge with in-group members than with out-group members. Furthermore, the results showed that same working experience between group members was more important than same national cultural background in determining people's attitude towards knowledge sharing. Another interesting finding was that Chinese participants were more willing to share personal information with an American stranger (out-group) than a Chinese stranger (in-group), while American participants showed no such difference. In summary, these findings indicate that a global organisation should take both national culture and in-group/out-group factors into consideration to facilitate knowledge sharing.

What Motivates Organisational Knowledge Transfer? Some Lessons from a UK-Based Multinational

2006 ◽  
Vol 05 (02) ◽  
pp. 165-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sajjad M. Jasimuddin ◽  
N. A. D. Connell ◽  
Jonathan H. Klein
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Empirical Study ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Job Security ◽  
Transfer Of Knowledge ◽  
Motivating Factors ◽  
Value Of Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Knowledge Based Economy ◽  
Organisational Knowledge

The transfer of knowledge is an important task of contemporary organisations. In the knowledge-based economy, more and more organisations have increasingly recognised and encouraged the value of knowledge transfer. However, there is sometimes a tendency to horde knowledge, perhaps through fear of losing power or through uncertainty over job security. In this paper, we consider the motivators of knowledge transfer based on an empirical study carried out in part of a UK multinational, IBM Laboratories, in which the atmosphere appeared conducive to knowledge sharing, and knowledge transfer appeared voluntary and spontaneous. The paper questions why members of an organisation like IBM might be enthusiastic about the transfer of knowledge among themselves. The paper investigates the motivating factors that encourage the transfer of knowledge. A number of motivators underlying knowledge transfer are identified.

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