The Psychology of Knowledge Sharing
ABP Corporate Member, Meta Lucid, and their client, Telenor, challenged a team of Next Gen Business Psychologists to propose a knowledge sharing solution.
The team which rose to this challenge was “The Balanced Architects”, a team from Arden University. Their research presentation addressed the complex challenge of fostering inclusive, cross-generational knowledge-sharing in a rapidly evolving corporate environment. The team focused on Telenor, a large, multi-national telecommunications company navigating technological disruption and seeking to enhance employee motivation, learning agility, and long-term talent retention.
To meet this challenge, the team proposed ‘CONNECT’, a cost-effective, employee-led reverse mentorship initiative designed to promote a culture of learning “in the flow of work.” Grounded in business psychology theory and organisational behaviour, the solution empowers employees to take ownership of their learning journey by choosing from various mentoring formats—reverse, flash, peer-to-peer, and traditional. This flexible, hands-off approach democratises knowledge, fosters psychological safety, and encourages mutual growth across generational, cultural, and neurodiverse lines.
Their research drew on social learning theory (Bandura, 1997), self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci), and perceived organisational support (Eisenberger et al., 1986) to explain how autonomy, relatedness, and competence can increase engagement and drive behavioural change. The team highlighted that creating a psychologically safe and inclusive space for mentorship – digitally enabled within a learning platform – would reduce hierarchy and support “just-in-time” learning through AI-enabled tools.
The practical implementation proposed followed a five-step structure – planning, creating space, introducing the programme, engaging and motivating staff, and evaluating impact. Clear alignment with Telenor’s behavioural values and integration into existing learning systems was a key feature, ensuring long-term sustainability and return on investment.
In summary, CONNECT demonstrated how business psychology can be strategically applied to enhance organisational agility, unlock tacit knowledge, and address the psychological needs of a diverse workforce—ultimately strengthening both performance and the employee value proposition in a competitive market.
Have you supported knowledge sharing initiatives at work? Could you add to these insights, from your own experience?
This article is based on the Biz Psych Cup submission by Arden University, winners of the 2024/2025 competition.
The ABP Biz Psych Cup is an annual competition that invites university teams, typically comprising four undergraduate and postgraduate psychology students, to tackle real-world business challenges posed by ABP corporate members. Over a 12–14 week period, teams conduct research and develop evidence-based solutions, culminating in an APA-style poster presentation. Shortlisted teams present their findings virtually to a panel of judges, including representatives from the sponsoring organizations. The competition offers students practical experience in applying psychological principles to business issues, fostering collaboration between academia and industry.
Find this poster and more at: https://theabp.org.uk/biz-psych-cup/
Here is a PDF of Arden University's winning poster: