Media Selection in Knowledge Transfer: A Decision Model

Introduction

Knowledge is one of the most important resources of firms to gain competitive advantages (Huong, Katsuhiro, & Chi, 2011). Firms transfer knowledge to accomplish the benefits and undertake the costs and potential risks (Argote & Ingram, 2000; Turner & Makhija, 2006). Moreover, globalization brings in more opportunities and challenges for knowledge transfer (Muhammad Wasim & Ali, 2017; Yadav, Adya, Sridhar, & Nath, 2009). Specifically, globalization makes firms can access worldwide knowledge by establishing subsidies or constructing collaborations with external organizations or individuals (Wang, Lu, Lee, & Yeh, 2017). However, separation across time and space brings in more difficulties for knowledge transfer (Aman & Nicholson, 2009). Nowadays, the rapid development of information and communication technologies increases firms’ media options for knowledge transfer, which makes that knowledge transfer is becoming more and more extensive and important for firms (Chow, 2011; Guo & D’Ambra, 2009; Shin-Yuan, Tsan-Ching, David, Albert, & Kuanchin, 2012). Then, an important issue is to select proper media when firms face some specific knowledge transfer projects, including traditional media such as face-to-face, telephone, and document as well as new media such as email, instant message, and teleconference (Oke & Idiagbon-Oke, 2010).

Many theories have been developed to guide media selection in knowledge transfer, including media richness theory, channel expansion theory, and social influence theory (Carlson & Zmud, 1999; Daft & Lengel, 1986; Fulk, Schmitz, & Steinfield, 1990; Venkatesh & Zhang, 2010). However, these theories are not very effective in practice (Carlson & Zmud, 1999). For example, email, with a moderate richness rating, is often chosen by communicators for highly equivocal tasks (Kock & Davison, 2003; Markus, 1994), contradicting the prediction of media richness theory. Facts violating other theories also have been found (Rice, 1993; Rice & Aydin, 1991). Moreover, benefits that firms can obtain from knowledge largely depend on the knowledge’s scarcity (Barney, 2001). It is found that confidentiality depends on media attributes (Sillince, 1997). However, restraint of knowledge spillover, another important aspect in knowledge transfer, is seldom considered in media selection before (Oke & Idiagbon-Oke, 2010; Palvia, Pinjani, Cannoy, & Jacks, 2011).

Through the above analysis, existing studies acknowledge the roles of media in knowledge transfer, but they just focus on one dimension of knowledge transfer objectives separately. The lack of a comprehensive framework produces controversies in theoretical studies and puzzles the media selection in knowledge transfer practices. Then, how do media influence knowledge transfer systematically? How do individuals and firms choose media effectively in knowledge transfer? As a result, a more effective media selection framework and model in knowledge transfer with systemic thinking should be developed to advance existing studies and guide media selection practices (Carlson & Zmud, 1999; Davenport & Prusak, 1998; Dennis, Fuller, & Valacich, 2008).