Knowledge is regarded as the most important source of competitive advantage in modern business. Researchers have therefore examined knowledge transfer between organizations. In particular, researchers have analyzed the factors that facilitate or prevent knowledge transfer and their effects on successful knowledge transfer. Among these factors are the characteristics of the channel through which knowledge flows from a source to a recipient organization, which influence the effectiveness and efficiency of knowledge transfer. However, the processes of establishment and vanishment of the channels have not been analyzed sufficiently. Besides the knowledge transfer theory, the social platform theory and network theory provide a framework to explain these processes. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of studies on the maintenance of knowledge transfer channels and the role of third parties in their enhancement. This study examined knowledge transfer in the civil aviation domain, a case for the diffusion of new air navigation technology called "performance-based navigation" (PBN), presently implemented by a number of countries. The data collected through interviews with stakeholders in six countries and two international organizations were analyzed using the modified grounded theory approach. It was found that platforms such as technical meetings help to establish and maintain channels and knowledge sharing by stakeholders. Maintaining channels is especially important for organizations to obtain new knowledge continuously. Moreover, public organizations organizing and administering these platforms facilitate knowledge transfer by legitimating the platforms and their outcomes. In other words, the trust by participating organizations in platforms can be attributed to the organizer's legitimacy. Based on these findings, implications for further studies are provided.
