Global Journal of Human Social Science, C: Sociology and Culture, Volume 23 Issue 4

© 2023 Global Journals Volume XXIII Issue IV Version I 7 ( ) Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2023 C Correponding Author α : Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, FB 02 Institute of Sociology, Jakob-Welder-Weg 12, 55128 Mainz, Germany. e-mail: mhennig@uni-mainz.de Exploring Motives and Strategies in the Production of Knowledge in the University Context by the Example of Academic Career Trajectories Marina Hennig α , Emre Bilgin σ , Omar Shehata ρ , Aimée Tina Booh Ѡ , Seraphine Domes ¥ & Marie Nottebaum § Abstract- Current research has shown that the combination of implicit and explicit knowledge among various actors is particularly crucial to the production of knowledge and that the characteristics of social relationships and resulting networks impact on how proficienty is acquired, transferred, absorbed, and applied. Although investigations have suggested that the actors involved in knowledge production are active and strategic agents, who differ considerably in their abilities to incorporate and generate knowledge, they are mostly referred to in terms as nodes or black boxes. In this regard, relationship research has demonstrated that actors differ in terms of motivations and abilities to share information and knowledge. Such motives are often strategic. But when and how actor’s strategic motives affect the flow of information and knowledge while creating and acquiring knowledge, and which role internal knowledge structures play in this process the research has been neglected. Our objective was to pursue the question of when and how strategic motives and internal knowledge structures affect the appropriation and transfer of knowledge. To this end, we re-analyzed eight qualitative interviews originally carried out a study on the influence of social relationships on professors’ career trajectories in 2015/16. With the help of the documentary method, different strategies and motives were identified. It became apparent that reasons and strategy are closely interconnected, and that knowledge production is closely linked to the respective field in which this knowledge is relevant. In this paper, such field- specific motives and strategies are illustrated by the example of career networks in science. Keywords: knowledge production, tacit knowledge, university research, social relationships, qualitative research, knowledge transfer, knowledge acquisition, knowledge networks, scientific collaboration, implicit knowledge, explicit knowledge, academic careers, research methodology, qualitative interviews, sociocultural factors. I. I ntroduction hile classical approaches mostly centered on formal organization in order to better understand knowledge transfer, more recent research has focused on networks in which knowledge is transferred (cf. Brennecke, 2020; Phelps et al., 2012; Sousa & Rocha, 2019) . While the latter perspective concentrates on cooperation as a form of interactive W exchange, the network approach may do justice to the complexity of knowledge transfer with a view on intra- and inter-organizational structures, formal and informal forms of exchange, and other interesting perspectives. For example, current research has shown the characteristics of social relationships have an impact on how knowledge is acquired, transferred, absorbed, and applied. In this connection, the actors involved in knowledge production are considered to be active and strategic agents who differ substantially of their abilities to gather and create knowledge. Nevertheless, “with some exceptions, knowledge networks research at all levels treats actors (i.e., network nodes) as black boxes” (Phelps et al., 2012, p. 1148) . Although relationship research has argued that actors differ of their motivations and abilities to share information and knowledge and that such motives are frequently strategic, little attention has been paid to individual actors’ roles. At the same time, such inquiries have largely neglected the question of when and how actors’ strategic motives affect the flows of information and knowledge among one another in generating and adapting knowledge and as to which role internal knowledge structures play in this context. Thus, our objective is to explore the issue of when and how strategic motives and internal knowledge structures affect the appropriation and sharing of knowledge. To this effect, we selected the field of science in which knowledge is permanently generated, transferred, and adapted. We reanalyzed eight qualitative interviews originally carried out in the framework of a study on the influence of social relationships on professors’ career trajectories in 2015/16. (see Hennig & Federmann, 2018). First, we enlarge published insights into knowledge networks, forms of knowledge, and various aspects of knowledge production. We then briefly describe our systematic approach and demonstrate, based on multiple interview extracts, which motives and strategies of knowledge production can be identified. II. S tate of R esearch and T heory Knowledge networks can be seen as sets “of nodes – individuals or higher-level collectives that serve as heterogeneously distributed repositories of