Knowledge Transfer: An Emerging Element of a Learning Organisation in Family Businesses

This chapter presents an extensive review of the literature for a number of key areas for examining the family businessFamily business in the context of a learningLearning organisation and how knowledge managementKnowledge management practices in family businesses may be considered as an important indicator of central elements of a learning organisation. First, arguments for and against family businesses being seen as learning organisations are presented. The theoretical background defining what constitutes and what does constitute a learningLearning organisation is considered for SMEs in general, and family businessesFamily business in particular. The types of knowledgeTypes of knowledge are presented and assessed in the context of family businessesFamily business and the obstacles and drives towards knowledge transferKnowledge transfer as part of a learning organisation. Knowledge managementKnowledge management are then contemplated within the context of one crucial knowledge transferKnowledge transfer long-term scenario: the succession processSuccession process. The chapter is concluded with an assessment of the key findings of this review and considerations for future research directions.