Approved DFG Proposal at the Chair of Business and Organizational Psychology (Prof. Dr. Ulrike Fasbender) [01.08.25]
„To share or not to share? Explaining bidirectional knowledge transfer between younger and older employees from a social comparison perspective – Renewal Proposal“. Prof. Dr. Fasbender's research project is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) with a total grant of €283,011 (Fasbender's share as PI: €239,730). Co-PI: Prof. Dr. Fabiola Gerpott (WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management). Collaborating partner: Prof.Dr. Anne Burmeister (University of Cologne).
In the context of an aging workforce and increasing economic pressure to extend working lives, understanding social comparisons in cross-age knowledge transfer remains highly relevant. Our work has already made substantial contributions to this field.
Our findings show that social comparisons can both promote and hinder knowledge transfer. In the first project phase, we primarily examined cognitive mechanisms to explain why social comparisons lead to different knowledge exchange behaviors. Our studies revealed that appraising social comparisons as stressors leads employees to withhold knowledge, whereas reflecting on successes or failures stimulates knowledge seeking and sharing. Age differences between employees acted as a buffer, mitigating the negative effects of unfavorable comparisons.
In the second phase, we aim to expand these insights by addressing four key aspects. First, we will examine the underexplored affective mechanisms of social comparisons to develop a more comprehensive understanding of parallel socio-cognitive and socio-affective pathways leading to knowledge transfer. Second, we will focus on temporal aspects, capturing not only comparisons between older and younger employees regarding their current positions but also their future development prospects and risks. While the initial project focused on static comparisons, the renewal will consider dynamic, forward-looking comparisons. Third, we will move beyond the individual perspective and analyze how social comparisons influence knowledge flows within workplace networks. Fourth, we will investigate under which conditions these comparison processes facilitate or hinder knowledge flows, considering both individual and organizational factors.
Our work program consists of two closely linked empirical research packages. The first research package involves two experimental studies that will allow us to test the causal affective mechanisms of social comparisons. Specifically, we will examine how concrete comparison experiences trigger specific emotions and, through these emotions, influence knowledge transfer behaviors. The second research package uses egocentric social network data from organizations to analyze how these processes unfold in employees' everyday work contexts. Here, we will also consider individual and organizational moderators. The two research packages complement each other by testing both the mechanisms of social comparisons under controlled conditions and their relevance in real organizational settings.
With this comprehensive approach, the project provides key insights into how cross-age knowledge transfer can be effectively designed to sustainably enhance collaboration and innovation in organizations.
