Knowledge management solutions for the leaving expert issue

Purpose – The leaving expert (LX) is often regarded only as an issue for the retention of his or her knowledge for the business or organization. The purpose of this paper is to show that a more comprehensive knowledge perspective reveals various issues and leads to different knowledge management (KM) remedies.Design/methodology/approach – The paper approaches the topic from an instruments or process aspect as well as from a case study view. One of the remedies is described in depth based on considerable application experience: the Leaving Expert Debriefing, a planning and knowledge transfer process. The general approach of prophylaxis and/or bridgeover by excellent KM is also taken into consideration with an overview on useful KM detail processes or instruments.Findings – The Leaving Expert Debriefing process based on a comprehensive perspective of knowledge has proven to be a useful planning and knowledge transfer instrument, especially when applied early enough. On the other hand, continuously furthered...