Enhancing Knowledge Transfer through Nurturing Cognitive Flexibility

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Enhancing Knowledge Transfer through Nurturing
Cognitive Flexibility
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• Hui Wang
• Doctoral CandidateDepartment of Management
  Information Systems
• Terry College of Business
• The University of GeorgiaAthens, GA 30602-6273
• Phone [phone]E-mail huiwang_at_terry.uga.edu
• Homepage http//www.terry.uga.edu/huiwang

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Outline

• Research Question
• Theory Basis and Definitions
• Conceptual Model and Propositions

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How to use cognitive flexibility to make
knowledge transfer more effective.
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Effective KMS

• How do we know if a knowledge management system
  (KMS) is effective?
• How do we know the knowledge in the KMS is being
  used effectively?
• How do we know the knowledge is being used as
  effectively as it can be?

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Knowledge Transfer

• Knowledge Transfer (KT) the adoption of
  knowledge from its original problem-solving
  context to a new context, and the adaptation of
  the knowledge to create a solution under the new
  conditions.

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Research Questions

• What individual cognitive factors lead to
  effective KT?
• How should knowledge in a KMS be documented and
  presented to nurture these factors?

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An Example Go to Excel Worksheet Cell AA145
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Cognitive Flexibility

• Learn one way, you know one way, and may not
  completely understand the general concept of
  worksheet navigation.
• Learn multiple ways
• You learn to apply the different methods under
  different conditions
• You also learn the general concept of worksheet
  navigation.
• The second way is cognitively more flexible.

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Cognitive Flexibility

• Cognitive Flexibility The ability to
  spontaneously restructure ones knowledge in
  adaptive response to changing situational demands
  (Spiro and Jehng 1990) .

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Proposition 1

• Ceteris paribus, higher CF leads to better KT
  performance.

Cognitive Flexibility
Knowledge Transfer
P1
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Cognitive Flexibility Theory (Spiro et al. 1987)

• (1) learning activities must provide multiple
  representations of content
• (2) instructional materials should avoid
  oversimplifying the content domain and support
  context-dependent knowledge
• (3) instruction should be case-based and
  emphasize knowledge construction, not
  transmission of information
• (4) knowledge sources should be highly
  interconnected rather than compartmentalized.

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• Thought flows in terms of stories - stories about
  events, stories about people, and stories about
  intentions and achievements. The best teachers
  are the best story tellers. We learn in the form
  of stories.
• Frank Smith

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Bostrom, Olfman, and Sein (1990) Framework for
End-user Training
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Definitions
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Learning Methods
P2
P3
Learning Style
Knowledge Transfer
Cognitive Flexibility
P1
P4
P5
Cognitive Style
General Intelligence
Conceptual Model of Improving Knowledge Transfer
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Proposition 2

• Ceteris paribus, training methods that emphasize
  Concrete Experience (CE) and Active
  Experimentation (AE) leads to higher level of CF
  than those emphasizing Abstract Conceptualization
  (AC) and Reflective Observation (RO).

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Proposition 2

• Higher levels of active learning methods lead to
  higher level of CF.

Learning Methods
P2
Knowledge Transfer
Cognitive Flexibility
P1
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Experiential Learning Theory (Kolb 1984)
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Learning Theory Types
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Proposition 3

• When the training method emphasizes Concrete
  Experience and Active Experimentation,
  individuals with a learning style that favors
  Concrete Experience and Active Experimentation
  (Accommodators) are likely to develop higher CF
  than people with other learning styles.

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Proposition 3

• If the individuals learning style matches the
  active learning methods, the CF is higher.

Learning Methods
P2
P3
Learning Style
Cognitive Flexibility
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Cognitive Style

• The adaption-innovation theory (Kirton 1976)
  identifies two extreme cognitive styles
  manifested in creativity, problem-solving, and
  decision-making the habitual adaptor and
  habitual innovator.

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Proposition 4

• Individuals with a cognitive style that is
  characterized as habitual innovator on average
  develop higher CF than those with a cognitive
  style characterized as habitual adaptor when
  training methods that emphasize CE and AE are
  used, the differences in CF between habitual
  innovators and habitual adaptors are smaller than
  when training methods that emphasize AC and RO
  are used.

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Proposition 4

• Habitual innovators tend to have higher CF than
  habitual adaptors. Higher levels of active
  learning reduce CF differences between them.

Learning Methods
P2
P3
Learning Style
Cognitive Flexibility
P4
Cognitive Style
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Proposition 5

• Individuals with a high level general
  intelligence on average develop higher CF with
  respect to the learning target than those with a
  lower level general intelligence when training
  methods that emphasize CE and AE are used, the
  differences in CF between those with high general
  intelligence and those with lower general
  intelligence are smaller than when training
  methods that emphasize AC and RO are used.

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Proposition 5

• Smarter people tend to have higher CF. Active
  learning methods reduce CF differences between
  them.

Learning Methods
P2
P4
Cognitive Flexibility
Cognitive Style
P5
General Intelligence
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Anything else?
Thank You!