An empirical study of the role of information technology in effective knowledge transfer in the shipping industry

High human mobility in the shipping industry is one of the main reasons causing severe shortage of skilled and qualified personnel in the shipping industry. This paper looks into the issue from a new perspective where high mobility in the shipping industry is seen as a vehicle of knowledge flows that can be used for knowledge transfer. This paper suggests that advanced information and communication technologies, supported by a dedicated knowledge sharing culture, and strong leadership are essential factors in facilitating knowledge transfer in the context of shipping. The proposed effective knowledge transfer (EKT) model was confirmed by an empirical study in which 275 questionnaires were sent and 166 valid answers were received. The results reveal that (a) there is a positive relationship between perceived effectiveness of information technology (IT) related factors and the current and preferred means of communication between on- and off-shore managements; and (b) there is a high degree of consensus about the role of IT in EKT among participants of different business sectors, fleet sizes and onboard experience. An important implication of this study is that shipping organisations can apply appropriate IT to facilitate EKT to reduce knowledge wastage caused by outflows of personnel.