Applying the Structural Complexity Management to Knowledge Transfer in Small and Medium-Sized Companies

Abstract

Retention and transfer of personnel knowledge represents a fundamental competitive factor for small and medium-sized companies (SMEs). A major problem is that increasingly unavailable specialists remain at a company for less time, but generate more complex knowledge during their time of employment. A methodical knowledge transfer designed for this specific problem situation of SMEs has to meet the requirements of high transfer frequency and short time slots for transfers while still maintaining a high quality of transferred knowledge. Knowledge transfer must be easy to implement. In cooperation with Festo we created an approach to knowledge transfer using methods of Structural Complexity Management. Advantages of the approach include its uncomplicated application and limited resource needs. Resulting analyses and visualizations allowed employees to focus on relevant knowledge aspects to be transferred effectively.