Knowledge Transfer and Knowledge Storage in the Steel Manufacturing Industry : A Case Study conducted at voestalpine Precision Strip AB

Sammanfattning

Competitive advantage and financial performance of an organization is influenced by the knowledge it possesses, making Knowledge Management (KM) a vital field. Components of KM were often studied separately and in specific settings, while research regarding Knowledge Transfer (KT) and Knowledge Storage (KST) in the steel manufacturing industry is limited. The aim of this thesis is to address this research gap by creating a conceptual framework regarding storing and transferring knowledge in the steel manufacturing industry and explaining how steel manufacturers can transfer tacit knowledge. In order to achieve the aim, a single case study with a Swedish steel manufacturing company was conducted. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews on three levels; managers, production leaders and floor workers, and through direct non-participant observations of the production floor and KM systems. The findings of this thesis contribute to the theory by exploring similarities and differences between the context of steel manufacturing industry and the current KM, KT and KST literature. The findings also propose practical implications that can facilitate the process of managing knowledge for companies in similar contexts. Firstly, this thesis suggests three approaches in which tacit knowledge can be transferred, through; socialization, externalization, and learning-by-doing and mentoring; and secondly, suggests a Knowledge Flow Framework in which the interplay between KT and KST is presented.