Knowledge loss when older experts leave knowledge-intensive organisations

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to describe different concepts of valuable knowledge that are perceived to be lost when an older expert departs from a knowledge-intensive organisation. Design/methodology/approach - A multiple case research methodology and semi-structured interviews involving 17 participants from five small-to-medium enterprises (SME). Findings - Five concepts of valuable knowledge have emerged from the interviews: subject matter expertise; knowledge about business relationships and social networks; organisational knowledge and institutional memory; knowledge of business systems, processes and value chains; and knowledge of governance. Research limitations/implications - The scope of the research project is restricted to SMEs in New Zealand and this restriction limits the generalisation of the results to other contexts. This study may serve as a starting point for future investigations including larger organisations that may have a greater number of older experts. Practical implications - By identifying the different types of older experts' knowledge, organisations are able to realise the potential of retaining that knowledge within the organisation. Originality/value - This is one of the first investigations of the knowledge that older experts in the professional services industry possess within a small-to-medium enterprise context.