Page 216 - Crossing Cultural Boundaries - Cees den Teuling

maintenance, improvement and streamlining of KT processes. An appropriate set of metrics to measure the returns is beneficial for proving the impact of successful KT by hard data and results calculated in currency and for presenting options to refine KT process designs through constant iterations.
The 10-steps of the “toolkit-as-a-guidebook” approach are presented and elaborated in a more detailed and specific form in Appendix VIII. Consultant’s “Authoritative Toolkit for Knowledge Transfer Application”.
6.5.4 The transfer of knowledge across and within cultures and countries
As argued by Stanley (2003) there are three major mechanisms to distribute knowledge (including best practices) for trans-boundary exchange between individuals, separated cultures and countries: (i) through (printed) documentation, (ii) by technology (video, internet, social media), and (iii) through face-to-face communications. Based on observation and experiences in the field, can be concluded that even when all communication and distribution channels are utilised there is a high rating for and preference by transmitters and recipients for face-to-face communication and distribution of information with a severe, effective and positive impact on the KT processes.
For the foreign (Western) consultants and business trainers it is crucial to understand and accept the Russian values, behaviours and attitudes, to take them into consideration and be ready to implement them as the backbones and the foundations for the management techniques to be introduced. Mainly supported by the observation that it is more convenient to establish a relationship with an individual in a setting for face- to-face communications, there is a preference for face-to-face sharing of knowledge. Even when the major part of the knowledge is distributed by a document, digital file or a demonstration of the best practice, it is obvious that the receiving party is looking forward to the reassurance through the communication with the actual knowledge holders, to be able to assess the credibility and the qualities of the individual which created and/or provided the knowledge at stake. Face-to-face communication also facilitates an important first step in the acceptance and adoption of the provided knowledge. Consistent findings are reported by Davenport and Prusak (1998) and Dixon (2000).
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