Abstract

Organizational learning fostered through interactions with other companies can lead to the development of businesses. The objective of the study was to describe interactions between established and emerging contractors in South Africa leading to a better understanding of learning events for the latter. Emerging contractors are owned by historically disadvantaged individuals and marked by low levels of maturity. Through nine case studies, emerging contractors at their core, interactions were mapped out focusing on knowledge transfers from established to emerging contractors. Respective interviews were transcribed and analysed using QSR Nvivo 7. Knowledge transfers, categorized according to content, are described using the role of individuals involved, the nature of knowledge transferred as well as the overall context as main descriptors. Relating these descriptors to an existing established organizational learning model, the induction of knowledge into the emerging companies’ own learning mode are described. Differing knowledge appears to enter the recipients’ own learning mode at various phases, and the level of prior socialization among actors play an important role in the knowledge transfers. Emerging contractor learn while engaging with established contractors on differing levels. If project-based knowledge transfers are sought for, the descriptors allow for tailor-making contexts which might foster knowledge transfers.

Key words: Organizational learning, project-based industry, knowledge transfers.