 In this topic, we are going to discuss about knowledge transfer between and within the organization. Particularly in this topic, we are going to specifically define what is transfer and then how knowledge is transferred from within the organization and between organizations. And then what are the different channels and what is actually transferred that means knowledge transfer. So this is what we are going to look at in this topic. So first of all, we are concerned with defining transfer. What does transfer mean? What do we mean by transferring knowledge? So transfer of knowledge means that an attempt by an organization or a unit within the organization to copy a specific type of knowledge from one organization or unit to another. So when you transfer knowledge, what you are doing is that you are copying one specific type of knowledge from one unit of the organization or from outside the organization to inside the organization or a unit of the organization. So for example, if you want to restructure your organization and you are trying to learn how to make your organizational structure more flexible and more organic. The learning you are going to use from some other organization who has already done that or you are going to use it from a case study or you are going to hire consultants or you are going to do whatever to copy that already existing knowledge that is there. How to make an organizational structure more flexible and more organic. That is something which when you copy in your own unit and in your organization that is transferred of knowledge from one place to the other. Best practices, for example, they embody a lot of already existing knowledge that is transferred from one place to the other, from one organization to the other. So when a best practice is established, for example, quality insurance, when it is established, ISO 9000 which is the best practice to maintain quality, then it is something which is then copied by many other organization and then it becomes an established criteria for quality management. So when you copy a certain kind of knowledge from one place to the other, that is transfer of knowledge. Then it is the degree to which organizational practices are implemented and internalized by the recipient firm. So you measure the transfer in such a way that how much internalized it has become. For example, if you go and tell them that you have installed computers, you have trained them, you tell them that you should shift from your manual work towards electronic management of system. And you teach them everything, you also provide them equipment. But your change management process is not effective and the culture of the organization is so strong that they resist the change. And even if they learned how to use the software, they are going to make the entries in the manual registers and they will not let it go. So this means that the learning that is transferred is not internalized. It has not become a part of the system and structure of the organization. So even if you have tried to transfer the knowledge, you have done the required processes to transfer the knowledge. It is the degree to which the recipient firm is ready to accept it and then it has been able to internalize it in the form of a changed behavior or in the form of a new way of doing work. Then we are going to look at what is transferred. So when we say knowledge transfer, what is the transfer in knowledge transfer? So the dimensions of knowledge transfer, the elements which are transferred may be all of the elements may be transferred in a particular event or in a particular interaction or one of the elements is transferred in a particular interaction. So what is transferred? Number one is technology. Technology transfer is one of the most important because technology embodies knowledge. When you have a new technology, it means that it embodies, it has a lot of knowledge in it which has been generated and developed at some particular place. When you pick it up and put the technology at some other place, it means that all the knowledge pool which has been used to develop it has been transferred to another place. So technology transfer is a part of knowledge transfer. Then managerial knowledge, how to manage things well, how to manage people, how to manage your own self, how to manage time, how to manage stress, how to manage everything, how to manage finances, marketing management, all the issues related with management. When you transfer this managerial knowledge from one place to the other, that is another element of knowledge transfer. Then technical know-how is also important because when you transfer technology, when you transfer equipment and machinery, the technical know-how to operate with it, to troubleshoot it, to repair it, to maintain it, even if new machinery or new equipment is not going to be developed at that place, you need to transfer certain level of knowledge for the people to use that machinery, to use that equipment. For example, the computer, well, the computer engineers they know how the computer is made, but the user of the computer must be trained to use the computer. So the technical know-how to use the computer is something which must be transferred. And then marketing skills, these are also very much important in order to make your products and services being sold in the market. So basically the purpose of the organizations is to create more market share in the market. So the marketing skills are also a very important aspect of the knowledge which is transferred from one place to the other, usually from one subsidiary to the other. Then there are many channels of transfer. Then there are turnkey operations. Turnkey operations are that startup is already there. You don't need to innovate or create a new idea. These are just franchises, these turnkey operations. So all the knowledge which for example is with McDonald's, when they bring it here and open a franchise, this means that they transferred all their knowledge to McDonald's to run. Purchase of machinery and equipment, when you purchase new machinery equipment from one place, new knowledge, that machinery and equipment has a lot of new knowledge which is accumulated and embodied. When you bring it here, it means that you have transferred knowledge. License and management agreement when companies provide licensing agreement to do something in a way they do it, that is also knowledge transfer. Technical assistance contract, well these are also part of knowledge transfer because this is something technical assistance is provided from one place to the other. Direct employment of foreign experts, well you employ foreign experts in your organization, that is a direct transfer of knowledge. When training of local staff, that is also one way to, one channel to transfer knowledge from experts to inexperienced staff. And then subcontracting is also a channel of transfer of knowledge. Subcontracting is in which the organization is contributing in the establishment and management of the new firm. And they help them, they give them the blueprints of the organization and help them establish the organization. It's not like franchising, it's a different way. We have discussed about that and you can look at the previous topics to understand subcontracting and franchising the difference between that. So these are the various different ways in which knowledge, in the way of technology, in the way of machinery, in the way of technical know-how, in the way of managerial skill or marketing skills that is transferred from one place to the other. And this is what is meant by knowledge transfer.