Evaluating knowledge transfer during computer-mediated communications

Jeremy Jason Ray

doi:10.17918/00001615

The knowledge transfer process is a challenge in organizations. The shift toward hybrid work has made it more difficult and thus was the motivation for this study. The focus was to identify robust neural and physiological correlates of knowledge transfer during computer-mediated communications. There are three goals associated with the research motivation: improving knowledge transfer, enhancing feedback, and overcoming barriers. Geographically dispersed workforces can benefit from efficiencies gained from improved knowledge transfer, including improving knowledge transfer across a geographically dispersed workforce; improving real-time feedback during many types of communication-driven business functions to ensure the exchange is effective and understood by all parties; and seeking the understanding of the common communication barriers of computer-mediated communication technologies and how to overcome them. How can using neuroergonomic approaches and biomedical technologies help improve the understanding of knowledge transfer during computer-mediated communication technologies in the workplace? This research explored the relationship between bandwidth, content complexity, and distractions and how they impacted knowledge transfer performance, cognitive workload, emotional valence, and emotional arousal. A human subject experiment was conducted. This relationship was explored using measures of cortical activity and physiological activity while collecting subjective measures of knowledge transfer and task behavioral outcomes. Results highlighted that bandwidth consistently had the most impact across the dependent variables. Across the board, the high bandwidth scenarios outperformed the low bandwidth scenarios in almost every case. With high bandwidth, understanding improved, subjects felt less rushed, and accuracy improved. Content complexity had an effect, especially when content was hard. More mental effort was required for hard content with low bandwidth. When content is hard, accuracy improves when bandwidth is high. These are notable findings as it relates to knowledge transfer associated with topics that require visualization to understand the information that is being conveyed to the listener. Distractions had bearing on mental effort. When distractions are present, hard content required more mental effort. Overall, this study demonstrated the use of biomedical signals in the neuro-bio-behavioral analysis of computer-mediated information exchange. Future studies can expand upon the described neuroergonomic approaches to investigate factors contributing to the enhancement of communication at work.

Evaluating knowledge transfer during computer-mediated communications

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Evaluating knowledge transfer during computer-mediated communications

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