Exploring the role of books as a knowledge translation mechanism: Citation analysis and author survey

The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate whether books serve as effective knowledge distribution agents and whether the body of knowledge published in peer-reviewed sources is used in the development of book content. The results of citation analysis in 40 authored and 9 edited books, followed by the survey of 35 book authors, demonstrate that peerreviewed sources, such as refereed journals, book chapters and conference proceedings, are used to develop the content of knowledge management and intellectual capital (KM/IC) books. Edited books contain twice as many references from refereed journals as authored books. The major source of references in KM/IC books are other books. Personal research is the major non-citable source of book content. The study concludes that the indirect knowledge distribution channel plays a key role in the process of dissemination of scholarly findings to practitioners.