Tacit Research Paper

Tacit Knowledge Transfer in the Mentor-Protégé Relationship

Abstract
Organizations are faced with the challenge of retaining tacit knowledge. Mentor-protégé relationships are one area that can assist with this trial. Cognitive-style congruency on knowledge transfer in the mentor-protégé relationship and the effect of tacit knowledge transfer in these relationships can frame an information exchange. Strong relationships between mentors and protégés can prove to be an effective mechanism to enhance tacit knowledge transfer and provide a better and more sophisticated understanding of the cognitive congruency-knowledge transfer link. Although tacit knowledge
This finding is an important extension to existing literature on knowledge transfer, since it clearly shows an effective mechanism to enhance tacit knowledge transfer and provide a better, more sophisticated understanding of the cognitive congruency-knowledge transfer link. In a mentor-protégé relationship, it would be critical to match the cognitive styles of mentor and protégé to enhance and impact tacit knowledge transfer successfully.
Mentoring plays a role in building up the core capabilities of an organization, as the literature offers evidence for the transfer of skills, managerial systems, and values—including their tacit dimensions. The mentoring process fits the descriptions of both socialization (“sharing experiences”) and internalization (“embodying explicit knowledge into “Tacit” and “Learning by doing”) (Swap, et al., 2001, p.98).
Implications for Practice and
Relationships between mentors and protégés prove to be a valuable method to enhance tacit knowledge transfer and provide a better and more sophisticated understanding of the cognitive congruency-knowledge transfer connection. This literature review examined findings in relation to knowledge transfer in mentor-protégé relationships as well as the cognitive similarity between mentor and protégé and their tacit knowledge transfer effectiveness. Furthermore, the tacitness of knowledge moderates the effect of cognitive-style congruency on knowledge transfer in the mentor-protégé dyad.
Organizations should either implement a new or foster an existing mentoring program. Research findings support that mentor-protégé relationships build up the core capabilities of an organization through the tacit dimensions of transferring knowledge of managerial systems and values.
Mentoring is a time-honored method for learning and transferring knowledge. Mentoring is a symbiotic relationship between a mentor-protégé pair. Effective mentoring is an intentional activity requiring conscious effort. Mentors teach, sponsor, encourage, counsel, and befriend their protégés. Research indicates it’s one of the most effective ways to transfer tacit