Knowledge Management and Mentoring in Public Organizations: A Narrative Case Study

Abstract

Public organizations have based knowledge transfer processes on documents and archives only, leaving the benefits of other mechanism of knowledge transfer unexplored. In this context, the mentoring tool like a multifaceted and complex role consisting of interventional, training and support activities, can be successfully used in public sector. This tool promotes knowledge transfer through the interaction between mentor and new employee (mentee). The aim of the work is to analyse the relationship that is created between mentor and mentee in complex public organizations. The methodology used is qualitative, we observe the case study of an Italian public organization through the tool of the narrative interview with mentor and mentee. The collected narratives concern the process of introducing the new employee in the public organization and the process of transferring knowledge to them. The study is still at an early stage and the results achieved so far seek to offer a conceptual framework on how mentoring takes place in complex public organizations, focusing mainly on knowledge management. The use of narrative interviews can be useful to detect both the subjective perspective of the interviewees and to highlight the involvement of the various subjects in the process of knowledge transfer. The results obtained so far contribute to developing the academic debate on the characteristics of the mentoring role, the relationships and phases that occur in the mentoring processes and their implications in public organizations.