Knowledge Transfer and Corporate Universities: anecdotal evidence from Italy

Abstract

Purpose. Knowledge Transfer (KT) has taken a strategic role in the development and maintenance of competitive advantage for organizations. Several processes are activated by organizations to make knowledge transfer efficient and effective. This study aims to analyze the Corporate University as a knowledge transfer (KT) mechanism, highlighting the panorama of the Corporate University (CU) in Italy and the main trend of evolution. The results can be used both by scholars and by HR managers to make the process of KT through CUs more efficient. The results reveal that the CUs represent an evolution of the HR department and that parent organizations use this structure where knowledge transfer is seen as an important tool for all HR processes.