Introduction for the Companies Being Interviewed

Understanding Concept of Knowledge Leakage

Research Methodology

Grounded Theory research strategy has been selected for the purpose of this research. This research method is beneficial when conducting research that it aims to generate a descriptive and explanatory theory about a specific concept that is not understood, or for which there is not much information on to date.

The present research is perceived as the theory-building (as we do not have an existing theory associated with knowledge leakage) rather than theory testing in its approach. Under Grounded Theory Tthe process of theory building in Grounded Theory is so closely tied towith evidence. Consequently, that it is very likely that the resultant theory willtends to be consistent with empirical observation. Thus, theory is discovered throughit is an inductive method theory discovery methodology that allowings the researcher to develop a theoretical account of the general features of a topic while simultaneously grounding the account in empirical observations or data.

The methodology of Grounded Theory methodology is iterative, requiring a steady movement flow between concept and data; it is also, as well as comparative, involvingrequiring a constant comparison across types of evidence to control the conceptual level and scope of the emerging theory. Thus, the researcher will goes into the research field with out anyno prior assumptions, and just collect whatever data are available loosely directed by open-ended questionsthey can with some general questions about the topic. Once data collection is completeollected, the researcher will an initial classification is generatedy. A second round of data collection is then conducted before a data according to their relationship and collect some more data and continue codifying and categorisation. The emerging code forms the direction and eventually decides the relevant aspects to continue sampling. Data are re-examined and re-coded to determine the categories and concepts that include as much data as possible.

Research Briefing for Iinterviewees

These interviews are part of a research project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. A consortia of four UK universities are involved; namely, Brunel, Loughborough, Northumbria and Brighton. The objective is to raise awareness of the being carried out at several universities to understand the risks associated with knowledge flows; in particular and the short-term/long-term impacts including costs, benefits productivity and piracy.and risks on organisations.

The success of an organisation[AG1] is dependeant on the skill, experience, and knowledge of its employees as well as its formal documents and systems. Organisations increasingly sub-contract out non-core activities and are simultaneously under pressure to increase the value added [any difficulties with this term?][AG2] element of their provisions, full service solutions being one example[AG3].

Consideration needs to be given to the risk associated with each element of knowledge/information flow between internal and external parties, the volume and necessity of the knowledge/information and the possible long-term consequences of the flows, positive and negative. In addition, consideration should also be given to procedures or the lack of procedures within an organisation that ensures that the maximum use is made of experience gained i.e. how to capitalise on all internal knowledge creating activities and not allow the knowledge to just be forgotten with timeavoiding loss by poor knowledge capture procedures.

The identity of the name of the company will never be associated with any information gained during this interviewnot be disclosed under any circumstances without explicit consent. Complete anonymity is assured.

Case Study Background

The following information, where possible, needs, where possible, to be collected prior to the interview:

  1. Company information data (number of employees, history, sector, product, etc) – facts and figures available on databases such as FAME.
  2. An understanding of theDetails of the Ccompany’s activities from their website or literature.
  3. Try to determine the iInterviewee’s position, responsibility, education[AG4], length of time at company – some of these may have to be determined during the interview.

Interview Prompt Questions:

  1. People leave through several routes: retirement, new job (outside the company or within the company but in a different department, site or subsidiary), promotion, orand death.

How dependaent is your company on a single person for certain knowledge

and experience? What mightwould happen if they left?

How do you capture experience[AG5] from people who intend to leaveing?[AG6]

Does the company have knowledge capture procedures to anticipate employee turnover yes/no?

If yes, please give examples.

What procedures does the company have in place to ensure knowledge is not lost forever?

Does theWhat is the company’s have a view on the significance of people leaving on the company? Are there explicit mechanisms the purpose of which is to limit employee turnover/churn?

What steps are taken to ensure that when employees leave they no longer have access to the organisation systems?

What is the company strategy for storing, diffusing and archiving knowledge? Does your Company have a strategy for storage of Knowledge?[AG7]

  1. What risk assessments do you undertake when subcontracting/outsourcing?

Prompt words/questions:

What proportion of manufacturing/tooling/product development/sales, etc. is outsourced?

What are the key outsourcing locations for manufacture/other?

All products/moulds/tools to same subcontractor?

What information (defined as covering everything) is suppliedent to subcontractors in order for them to fulfil their contractss?

Do you feelWhat is the risk of subcontractors could becominge competitors arising out of the outsourcing activity?

Do you see anyWhat other risks are associated with subcontracting? [AG8]

  1. What risk assessments do you undertake when dealing with supplies?

Prompt words/questions:

What is your procurement strategy for key components? What is the optimum number of suppliers?

All products/moulds/tools/etc sourced from the same supplier?

What information (defined as covering everything) is sent to suppliers?

Do you feel supplier could become competitors?

Do you see any other risks associated with dealing with supplies?

  1. What risk assessments do you undertake when dealing with customers?

Prompt words/questions:

Minimum information about product/component/service development route

All information about product/component/service development route

Do you see any other risks associated with dealing with customers?

  1. How does your company maximise the use and/or capture of internal experiences[AG9]?

Prompt words/questions:

Does your company audit its knowledge resources? If so how, and how often?

When a new product/service is developed how is there knowledge from its development transferred to the organisation and diffused amongst personnel? a post completion analysisand experience absorption phase or are experiences and knowledge allowed to fade away?

  1. Can you identify any other routesHow else might where knowledge/information can be lost from withinto the company?

Theft? Indifference? (Electronic) system failure?

  1. How high would the impact of knowledge loss within your Firm be on the whole organisation?

How significant is knowledge and knowledge loss as a factor for your Firm be on the whole organisation[AG10]?

  1. Do you have a risk management strategy[AG11] in your organisation? If yes does it includehow is knowledge leakage managed?

The grid offers a typology of leakage – do people feel this is where we are looking?

There are lots of issues about procedures/knowledge capture. We perhaps do need to consider whether capture and leakage are related. But using this round of interviews to explore the scale and scope of leakage is important.

Deliberate / Theft / Xx
Inadvertent / e.g. Guest engineers / e.g. Internal system failure
Conscious / Unconscious

[AG1]We may want to talk about firms rather than organisations?

[AG2]Value added

This strikes me as very much a question of upgrading rather than value adding as such. Upgrading occurs here with the company outsourcing its low- value activities in which margins are also low, and focusing on high value ‘upstream activities’ at the customer service end.

[AG3]By this I presume you are talking about reconfiguration into service 'solutions' businesses such as IBM, Cable and Wireless, etc.?

[AG4]Qualifications rather than education?

[AG5]Capturing experience is impossible; knowledge from experience can be captured

[AG6]I’m inclined to take this line out as it is dealt with in the next one

[AG7]Remove this line?

[AG8]Is this a knowledge question, or is there an assumption that subcontracting has greater potential consequences than just

[AG9]Same point about experience as noted above.

[AG10]I’m not quite sure about the distinction between the firm and the organisation.

[AG11]Do we mean strategy, or do we mean merely procedure?

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