Short answer
Prioritize the design and implementation of systems that actively encourage and facilitate knowledge sharing to drive innovation and improve performance.
- Field
- Innovation & Design
- Source
- Journal of Workplace Learning (2019)
- Method
- Systematic Literature Review
- Sample
- 61 studies
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Systematic knowledge sharing within an organization demonstrably enhances creativity, learning, and overall performance at individual, team, and organizational levels. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2019 study published in Journal of Workplace Learning. Using Systematic literature review with 61 studies, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Prioritize the design and implementation of systems that actively encourage and facilitate knowledge sharing to drive innovation and improve performance.
Knowledge Sharing Boosts Organizational Creativity and Performance
Systematic knowledge sharing within an organization demonstrably enhances creativity, learning, and overall performance at individual, team, and organizational levels.
Journal of Workplace Learning · 2019
Key Findings
- 01Knowledge sharing impacts individuals, teams, and organizations.
- 02Creativity, learning, and performance are the most commonly studied outcomes.
- 03Knowledge sharing can also positively influence team climate and employee life satisfaction.
- 04The field is dominated by quantitative research, with limited qualitative studies.
Application
Design takeaway
Prioritize the design and implementation of systems that actively encourage and facilitate knowledge sharing to drive innovation and improve performance.
How to apply
When designing new products, services, or internal processes, consider how knowledge sharing can be integrated to improve the design outcome and the user experience.
Project actions
- 01Consider how your design project can benefit from or contribute to knowledge sharing.
- 02Think about how information flows within the context of your design problem.
- 03Explore existing knowledge sharing tools or propose new ones as part of your design solution.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Comprehensive systematic review of a significant body of literature.
- +Development of a framework for understanding knowledge-sharing impacts.
Limitations
The research primarily focuses on organizational outcomes and may not directly translate to all types of design projects, especially those with limited team interaction.
Reliability & validity
The systematic review methodology enhances reliability by providing a structured approach to literature selection and analysis. Validity is supported by the thematic analysis of a substantial number of studies, though the reliance on existing research means it inherits the validity of those original studies.
Think critically
Given the dominance of quantitative studies, how might qualitative research offer deeper insights into the nuanced psychological and interactional aspects of knowledge sharing in design teams?
Design Principles
"Foster a culture and environment where knowledge sharing is seamless and valued, as it directly contributes to organizational success."
Understanding the tangible benefits of knowledge sharing provides a strong rationale for implementing robust knowledge management systems. Designers and engineers can leverage this insight to advocate for collaborative platforms and processes that facilitate the flow of information, ultimately leading to more innovative solutions and efficient project execution.
What This Means for Your Design
Sharing what you know with others in your team or company makes everyone better at their jobs and leads to new ideas.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the importance of collaboration and information exchange in your design process.
- 2.Use the findings to justify the inclusion of features or processes that promote knowledge sharing in your design proposal.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The systematic review by Ahmad and Karim (2019) highlights that effective knowledge sharing within organizations is a significant driver of innovation, creativity, and performance at individual, team, and organizational levels. This underscores the importance of designing systems and processes that facilitate the seamless exchange of information and expertise, a principle directly applicable to collaborative design projects aiming for optimal outcomes.
Source
Journal of Workplace Learning
Impacts of knowledge sharing: a review and directions for future research
journal · 2019
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about knowledge sharing boosts organizational creativity and performance?
- Prioritize the design and implementation of systems that actively encourage and facilitate knowledge sharing to drive innovation and improve performance. Evidence: Journal of Workplace Learning (2019).
- Why does "Knowledge Sharing Boosts Organizational Creativity and Performance" matter for design?
- Understanding the tangible benefits of knowledge sharing provides a strong rationale for implementing robust knowledge management systems. Designers and engineers can leverage this insight to advocate for collaborative platforms and processes that facilitate the flow of information, ultimately leading to more innovative solutions and efficient project execution.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Prioritize the design and implementation of systems that actively encourage and facilitate knowledge sharing to drive innovation and improve performance.
- What were the main findings?
- Knowledge sharing impacts individuals, teams, and organizations.. Creativity, learning, and performance are the most commonly studied outcomes.. Knowledge sharing can also positively influence team climate and employee life satisfaction.. The field is dominated by quantitative research, with limited qualitative studies.
- What research method was used?
- Systematic Literature Review with 61 studies.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2019 journal from Journal of Workplace Learning.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing new products, services, or internal processes, consider how knowledge sharing can be integrated to improve the design outcome and the user experience.
- What are the limitations?
- The review identified a lack of qualitative research and a need for more investigation into differential, psychological, negative, and interactional impacts of knowledge sharing.