Introducing T-shaped managers. Knowledge management's next generation

Area of Science:

• Business Management
• Organizational Behavior
• Knowledge Management

Background:

• Centralized knowledge management systems often fail to transfer implicit knowledge, hindering innovation.
• Explicit knowledge (codified) is effectively distributed, but implicit knowledge (experiential) remains underutilized.
• Companies struggle to capitalize on the dispersed expertise within their organizations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and advocate for T-shaped management as a superior model for knowledge transfer.
• To explore how T-shaped management enables companies to harness their inherent expertise.
• To identify the benefits and challenges of implementing T-shaped management.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual framework development based on existing knowledge management theories.
• Case study analysis, focusing on BP Amoco's implementation of T-shaped management.
• Qualitative assessment of T-shaped managers' contributions to organizational success.

Main Results:

• T-shaped managers enhance efficiency by disseminating best practices.
• Implementation leads to improved company-wide decision-making quality.
• Revenue growth is stimulated through the sharing of expertise.
• Cross-pollination of ideas fosters new business opportunities.
• Coordinated implementation enables bold strategic initiatives.

Conclusions:

• T-shaped management effectively unlocks and utilizes tacit organizational knowledge.
• Balancing cross-unit knowledge sharing with unit-specific performance is crucial.
• The benefits of T-shaped management, including innovation and efficiency, outweigh the implementation challenges.