An Interactionist Approach to Knowledge Sharing and Organisational Socialisation in the Context of International Graduate Programmes

Rindom, Michelle ; Hansen, Henriette Schultz

4. term

International Business Communication (English), Master

2021

2021-06-21

130

Specialet undersøger, hvordan videndeling bidrager til organisatorisk socialisering i internationale graduateprogrammer, hvor kandidater roterer på tværs af funktioner og lande og derfor løbende skal tilpasse sig nye sociale kontekster. Med et socialkonstruktionistisk og interaktionistisk udgangspunkt, hvor viden forstås som noget, der skabes i samspil mellem mennesker, fokuserer specialet på to spørgsmål: hvordan videndeling anvendes i socialiseringsprocessen, og hvordan HR kan tilskynde og facilitere intra-organisatorisk videndeling under hensyn til faktorer, der påvirker kandidaters villighed til at dele viden. Empirien består af to semistrukturerede interviews med HR-medarbejdere fra Danish Crown A/S og Arla Foods A/S samt en websurvey med 21 internationale graduates, analyseret gennem tematisk analyse. Resultaterne peger på, at videndeling er kompleks og påvirkes af socio-psykologiske faktorer; at en fælles sprogbrug og forståelse af videndelingsadfærd på tværs af organisationen er nødvendig; og at interaktioner med kolleger skaber trygge rammer for at dele viden. HR bør derfor facilitere tværfunktionelle samarbejder på tværs af interne grænser. Konklusionen er, at videndeling ikke kan styres direkte, men at HR kan påvirke den ved at adressere socio-psykologiske forhold i socialiseringsprocessen i internationale graduateprogrammer.

This thesis examines how knowledge sharing supports organizational socialization in international graduate programs, where graduates rotate across functions and countries and must continually adapt to new social contexts. Grounded in a social constructionist and interactionist stance that views knowledge as created through interaction, it addresses two questions: how knowledge sharing is used during socialization, and how HR can encourage and facilitate intra-organizational knowledge sharing given factors that affect graduates’ willingness to share. The study draws on two semi-structured interviews with HR employees from Danish Crown A/S and Arla Foods A/S and a web survey of 21 international graduates, analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings indicate that knowledge sharing is complex and shaped by socio-psychological factors; that a shared language and understanding of knowledge-sharing behavior across the organization are needed; and that interactions with organizational members help create a climate where graduates feel comfortable sharing. HR should therefore foster cross-functional collaboration across internal boundaries. The thesis concludes that while knowledge sharing cannot be tightly managed, HR can influence it by addressing socio-psychological factors within the socialization process in international graduate programs.

[This summary has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project (PDF)]

knowledge sharing ; knowledge-sharing behaviour ; videndeling ; organisational socialisation ; organisatorisk socialisering ; HR ; HRM ; social constructionism ; intra-organisational knowledge sharing

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Rindom, Michelle:

• An Interactionist Approach to Knowledge Sharing and Organisational Socialisation in the Context of International Graduate Programmes (2021)

Hansen, Henriette Schultz:

• An Interactionist Approach to Knowledge Sharing and Organisational Socialisation in the Context of International Graduate Programmes (2021)