What happens in a Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise Network (KEEN) project? A report of an online survey into knowledge exchange processes in KEEN projects funded by the European Regional Development Fund and managed by the University of Wolverhampton

This report identifies the knowledge exchange process within the Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise Network (KEEN) projects managed by the University of Wolverhampton. An online survey was conducted during January and February 2015 which asked all project participants about their involvement in the knowledge transfer process. In order to structure the survey, Szulanski’s model (1996, 2000) of knowledge transfer was used. This model suggests that there are four stages to the knowledge transfer process: initiation, implementation, ramp-up, and integration. At each stage of the knowledge transfer, the activity can be affected by what Szulanski termed ‘stickiness,’ which is a barrier to the process. The survey sought to identify key processes at each stage and any barriers that might be present.