Virtual Collaboration Andrea Wiggins IST 800 2/18/2008

Agenda Definition of virtual collaboration & motivation for theory Visualizations of the literature data - ways to see the gaps based on multiple variables The questions asked by researchers Two examples: FLOSS & eScience Preliminary theoretical model

Definition of virtual collaboration & motivation for theory

Visualizations of the literature data - ways to see the gaps based on multiple variables

The questions asked by researchers

Two examples: FLOSS & eScience

Preliminary theoretical model

Definition & Motivation Virtual collaboration can be defined as cooperative work undertaken by distributed participants through the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). As fast, reliable ICTs become ubiquitous in organizational environments, virtual collaboration is increasingly commonplace and ensuring the success of these ventures is progressively more important to a wide variety of practical contexts.

Virtual collaboration can be defined as cooperative work undertaken by distributed participants through the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). As fast, reliable ICTs become ubiquitous in organizational environments, virtual collaboration is increasingly commonplace and ensuring the success of these ventures is progressively more important to a wide variety of practical contexts.

Organization Level & Themes Level of analysis is key distinguishing feature of research in organizational behavior Emergent themes from coding the article abstracts

Level of analysis is key distinguishing feature of research in organizational behavior

Emergent themes from coding the article abstracts

Subtopics of Articles

Methods

Table Representation

Treemap Hierarchical View

Matrix Chart: 4 Variable View

Network Concept Map

Questions Researchers Ask Social structure: How do interpersonal relationships affect virtual collaboration? Technology & organizational change: How are technology’s effects on organizational change realized in virtual collaboration? Success: What factors affect success in virtual collaboration? Knowledge management & support systems: What are the tools and strategies needed to support virtual collaboration?

Social structure: How do interpersonal relationships affect virtual collaboration?

Technology & organizational change: How are technology’s effects on organizational change realized in virtual collaboration?

Success: What factors affect success in virtual collaboration?

Knowledge management & support systems: What are the tools and strategies needed to support virtual collaboration?

Examples: FLOSS & eScience Both are cyberinfrastructure-enabled distributed knowledge production activities, types of virtual collaborations eScience is big money research, but FLOSS is volunteer-driven, little cost eScience is a top-down movement due to high costs, but FLOSS is bottom-up due to self-organizing teams

Both are cyberinfrastructure-enabled distributed knowledge production activities, types of virtual collaborations

eScience is big money research, but FLOSS is volunteer-driven, little cost

eScience is a top-down movement due to high costs, but FLOSS is bottom-up due to self-organizing teams

Concepts + Questions Social structure is based on interpersonal relationships, and is affected by motivation and trust (among other factors!) Success is affected by social structural characteristics, as well as the ICTs available and the knowledge management tools & strategies used

Social structure is based on interpersonal relationships, and is affected by motivation and trust (among other factors!)

Success is affected by social structural characteristics, as well as the ICTs available and the knowledge management tools & strategies used

Preliminary Theoretical Model

Thank you! Questions?