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7 - Managing the knowledge transfer process: the case of Sierra and its Indian subsidiary

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 January 2010

Sundeep Sahay ,
Brian Nicholson  and
S. Krishna
Sundeep Sahay
Affiliation:
Universitetet i Oslo
Brian Nicholson
Affiliation:
University of Manchester
S. Krishna
Affiliation:
Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore
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Summary

GSW: a knowledge perspective

This chapter introduces the importance of taking a knowledge perspective to understand the process of growth of a GSA. Software development in general is an example of knowledge-intensive work. When taken in the context of global separation, the knowledge intensity is magnified many times over. In addition to domain-specific product knowledge, it requires a deep understanding of the multiple local contexts involved and the ongoing and changing development requirements. Many of these requirements remain undocumented and tacitly held by individuals and groups.

The significance of the knowledge transfer process can be analysed at multiple levels: institutions, project teams and individuals. Institutional reflexivity, which Giddens (1990) has described to be a defining feature of globalization, is particularly emphasized in knowledge-intensive software development work. Continuously and reflexively, firms must monitor new knowledge about technologies, organizations and markets. They must make changes in their own processes as the situation demands. The need for continuous reflexive action is significant because of the speed at which new knowledge about software is being generated and the tremendous interconnectivity between global systems (including electronic) that facilitates the spread of new knowledge from one part of the world to others.

The knowledge perspective is equally significant at the level of project teams and the individuals in the teams. Most software development firms comprise multiple teams working with different clients, engaging in different technologies and serving various markets and products.

Type
Chapter
Information
Global IT Outsourcing
Software Development across Borders
 , pp. 132 - 154
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2003

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