Enhancing Knowledge Legacy: Strategies for Employees with Long Scientific Seniority in Construction Academia

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a pilot survey conducted as part of a doctoral research project on the management of tacit knowledge of employees with long scientific seniority (LSS), defined as 25+ years post-doctorate, focusing on knowledge transfer in the academic environment related to construction. This planned research aims to identify the best methods to support the dissemination of tacit knowledge of LSS employees among employees of other generations. The primary goal was to create a model that supports the transfer of LSS tacit knowledge to other employees. The research question is: How should the tacit knowledge of LSSs be managed to preserve and pass their legacy on to younger generations? A pilot online survey was conducted with three groups of respondents: LSSs, their leaders (L-LSS), and co-workers(C-LSS). The anonymous survey included 72 statements in five areas: 1. awareness of tacit knowledge, 2. personal motivation to share tacit knowledge; 3. the traditional approach versus the innovative approach; and 4. organisational support for knowledge sharing; 5. management of generational diversity. The first two areas contained different questions for each of the three groups, whereas areas 3–5 contained identical survey questions. Responses were recorded on a five-point Likert scale. The pilot study involved research institute employees who volunteered to participate. The study sample consisted of 22 participants. The group of respondents comprised four generations. The lowest mean (below 3.0) concerned statements in Areas 2 and 4. Similarly, a median (equal to 3) was obtained for these areas. The remaining areas had a mean of 3.1 or above, with a median of 4. The standard deviation ranged from 0.93 (Area 3) to 1.25 (Area 2), which indicates that Area 2 (personal motivation to share tacit knowledge) and Area 4 (organisational support in sharing knowledge) are important areas for further analysis. The next step (February 2024) will be to conduct an online survey of two technical universities and two research institutes in Poland, followed by in-depth interviews (spring/summer 2024). The same procedure will be used for all the four European institutions (2024). The value of this study lies in determining the best practices for generational tacit knowledge sharing.