Exploring the Effects of Turnover on Transactive Memory Systems

This paper examines turnover effects on transactive memory (TM) under four task conditions. The first section employs a contingency framework and describes the structural features of knowledge networks and communication networks in TM systems that match each task condition. The second part analyzes the effects of turnover on TM from a network perspective. The findings suggest that, contrary to previous research, turnover can be beneficial and the magnitude of turnover effects on TM varies considerably across task conditions. Moreover, the strengths of turnover effects depend on the structures of knowledge networks and communication networks as well as the position the person who leaves the system occupies in the communication network. Implications of this analysis are discussed in light of organization design.