Knowledge Transfer in Construction – Personnel Perspectives From Small and Medium General Contractors

10 pages•Published: June 2, 2026

Swikriti Shrestha, Ben Bigelow and Tamera McCuen

Abstract

Knowledge transfer (KT) within construction organizations, especially small and medium-sized construction organizations (SMGCs) is often overlooked. Understanding how small and medium size general contractors utilize different methods for transferring knowledge helps organizations within this subset adapt to competitive market conditions. This research used semi-structured interviews to investigate the extent to which SMGCs utilize formal KT methods and explores the perceived benefits associated with these processes. Open coding identified 9 themes regarding the benefits of formal KT perceived by project teams. Axial coding identified 4 key themes related to KT, including employee development and engagement, continuous communication and collaboration, individual project optimization and evaluation, and organizational learning. Selective coding then suggested the need to focus on KT at different levels. Including: individual, project, and organization level to facilitate effective KT within SMGCs. The results further suggest that KT is best achieved through constant communication and collaboration between project teams. Also that development of standardized KT processes is an effective strategy.

Keyphrases: knowledge management, knowledge transfer, medium sized contractors, small contractors

In: Wesley Collins, Anthony Perrenoud and John Posillico (editors). Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 62nd Annual International Conference, vol 7, pages 1052-1061.

Links:	https://easychair.org/publications/paper/tc5h
	https://doi.org/10.29007/5g9n

BibTeX entry

@inproceedings{ASC2026:Knowledge_Transfer_Construction_Personnel,
  author    = {Swikriti Shrestha and Ben Bigelow and Tamera McCuen},
  title     = {Knowledge Transfer in Construction – Personnel Perspectives From Small and Medium General Contractors},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 62nd Annual International Conference},
  editor    = {Wesley Collins and Anthony Perrenoud and John Posillico},
  series    = {EPiC Series in Built Environment},
  volume    = {7},
  publisher = {EasyChair},
  bibsource = {EasyChair, https://easychair.org},
  issn      = {2632-881X},
  url       = {/publications/paper/tc5h},
  doi       = {10.29007/5g9n},
  pages     = {1052-1061},
  year      = {2026}}

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