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Leveraging member expertise to improve knowledge transfer and demonstrability in groups.

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Bonner, Bryan L.; Baumann, Michael R.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 102(2), Feb 2012

Abstract

Group success is dependent on both the knowledge of group members and the extent to which the group can access this knowledge. This research focuses on promoting effective knowledge transfer in group members by facilitating their use of extant knowledge when solving novel problems and examines how this affects subsequent discussion, decision making, and performance. Participants (N = 540) answered a series of estimation items individually or in a group. Sessions were recorded to provide insight into the group interactions. Facilitating knowledge transfer promoted (a) a more effective dialogue in which members were able to share more of their knowledge and discuss member expertise, (b) groups giving greater weight to better member preferences in their decision-making process, and (c) improved group performance relative to both average comparison individuals and to groups operating without this intervention. The effectiveness of promoting knowledge transfer in a group context relative to an individual context is discussed and group superiority is related to the concept of task demonstrability.

(PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

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Additional Information:

We solve problems by using the countless various and sundry nuggets of information we’ve gathered by hard-won experience throughout our lives. The problem is that we’re not nearly as good at applying old knowledge to new problems as you’d think.  In fact, learning transfer research conducted for over a century has tried, without much success, to figure out how we can do a better job of it. This study shows that although the sheer amount of brainpower it takes to consistently and effectively transfer learning from old to new is beyond many individuals, groups of people working together are actually very good at it. Working in groups helps people leverage their collective knowledge improving communication, decision making, and, ultimately, performance.

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