HOW DO COMMUNICATION STRUCTURES SHAPE THE PROCESS OF KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER? - AN AGENT-BASED MODEL

Knowledge diffusion is a complex process. Knowledge is intangible and therefore is not easy to capitalize within an organization, or share between a set of individuals. The aim of this paper is to study the impact of two different structures of communication on both processes of knowledge transfer and individual learning, in the context of a community of practice. We will specifically compare two types of communication structures (through face-to-face interactions and through a forum) by using agent-based models. Results show that each structure has a different impact on individual learning and knowledge transfer. Though, communication through face-to-face interactions seems to make individuals learn slower than on a web forum. Conclusions are widely discussed.