Title: Knowledge lost in translation: the role of knowledge brokers in knowledge transfer

Authors: Alexandre Perrin

Addresses: Edhec Business School, 24 Avenue Gustave Delory, 59057 Roubaix Cedex 1, France

Abstract: In this paper, we propose to interpret the circulation of knowledge in organisations as a process of translation: knowledge is not only transferred between two entities but transformed during that process. We examine a case of knowledge transfer in a multinational company. The absence of a 'neutral translator' inside the network of actors creates conflicts of meanings between the sender and the receiver of knowledge. The examination of the chain of transformation helps us to analyse the role of brokers during this process.

Keywords: knowledge translation; knowledge management; knowledge brokers; knowledge transfer; multinational corporations; MNCs.

DOI: 10.1504/IJITM.2013.054888

International Journal of Information Technology and Management, 2013 Vol.12 No.3/4, pp.214 - 225

Received: 09 May 2011
Accepted: 10 Sep 2012
Published online: 19 Dec 2013 *

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