Multi-level analysis of knowledge transfer: a knowledge recipient’s perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to adopt the recipient’s perspective to explore multi-level antecedents’ effects on knowledge transfer using social capital and social network theories. Design/methodology/approach – Social network and general attribute survey responses from 331 employees were analyzed through hierarchical linear modeling to verify the study’s multi-level research model and hypotheses. Findings – A recipient’s trust in colleagues positively influences knowledge transfer and company tenure has a negative impact. At a dyadic level, the perceived expertise of a source, in addition to strength of ties, exerts a positive effect on knowledge transfer. Additionally, a recipient’s network centrality moderates the effects of dyadic relationships on knowledge transfer. Research limitations/implications – This study deepened the current understanding of the role of social capital in knowledge transfer from a recipient’s perspective. Three dimensions of a recipient’s social capital respectively showed significant, but different types of influence on knowledge transfer. Interaction effects between individual and dyadic level antecedents should be considered as well. Practical implications – Both a strong tie at a dyadic level and a diverse network at an individual level should be nurtured to facilitate knowledge transfer. In addition, bi-directional knowledge transfer between seasoned employees and new employees should be promoted. Originality/value – Most studies have focused on motivating a knowledge source, assuming that a recipient is always ready to adopt a source’s knowledge. To reduce this bias, the current study examined social capital’s role in knowledge transfer from a recipient’s perspective.