Organizational
learning occurs at various levels. At an individual level,
people in the organization are called upon to transfer
the knowledge learnt in one setting to a new situation
and to another similar situation. Soft skills trainers
are basically outside the organization and transmit information
to people inside the organization. This knowledge is not
considered to be core domain knowledge, but is required
to augment the learning process. Davenport and Prusak
(1998) report that Knowledge Management (KM) encompasses
a broad range of tools, technologies and managerial practices
intended to produce bottom line benefits by making better
use of an organization’s intellectual capital.
Since
knowledge creation, acquisition, retention and transfer
are important in the growth of an industry, this research
work aims at investigating the influence of humor in the
process of training people in soft skills.Most
companies commence KM activities by focusing on creating,
identifying, collecting, consolidating, interpreting and
sharing the best practices or learnings that need an organization
wide understanding. Organizational knowledge is available
at both physical and intellectual levels. Ganesh Sherman
(2002) says that what is known or can be found out is
explicit knowledge and what is stored in the minds of
the people is tacit knowledge. Explicit knowledge may
be expressed in words or numbers, but tacit knowledge
is not visible and is inexpressible. Literatures of Cohen
and Sproul (1996), Szulanski (1996) and Zander and Kogut
(1995) highlight that organizational learning and learning
literatures often focus on a type of knowledge transfer,
which implies that, the method of transfer is not focused.
Wernerfelt (1984) and Grant (1996), report that organizations
that can make full use of their collective expertise and
knowledge are more likely to be innovative, effective
and efficient in their market place. Granovetter (1973),
advocates that relationships are important for acquisition
of information. A study by Borgatti and Cross (2003) shows
that at least three enduring relational characteristics
are predictive of information seeking behavior—(1)
knowing what the other person knows; (2) valuing what
the other person knows in relation to one’s work;
and (3) being able to get timely access to that person’s
thinking.
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