This document aims to analyze and visualize the intangible benefits of structured internal organizational digital information. The research questions examine which intangible benefits arise from structured information, how information management affects these benefits, and how the intangible benefit factors can be visualized and compared. Using a boundary object theoretical lens, the analysis identifies knowledge and semantic interoperability as key intangible benefits and shows how benefits are reduced when information is unmanaged. The analysis then visualizes the intangible benefits in two cases and juxtaposes the results. The contributions include an analysis of digital information benefits and a model for comparing intangible benefits. Further research proposed includes defining and measuring organizational benefits and understanding the influence of time on intang

1. Approaching the
Intangible Benefits
of a Boundary
Object
Karin Ahlin

2. CONTENT
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Area of interest
Aim
Research questions
Method
Theoretical lens – boundary object
Analysis research questions
Contributions
Further research

3. AREA OF INTEREST

4. BACKGROUND
Digital information is understood by individuals and forms a
common knowledge base (Langefors 1995)
Benefit factors of a process and its inherent parts is necessary
to understand (Ward and Daniels 2006)
The mixture of tangible and intangible benefits are to be
summed up as the total benefit (Frisk 2011).
Intangible benefits are the non-measurable qualitative benefit
factors (Frisk 2007)

5. AIM
The aim of this licentiate thesis is to describe,
analyse and visualise the benefit of internal
organisational digital information. To put emphasis
on both of the included core components, the view
of benefits used will be the intangible benefits and
the digital information is operationalised by
structured information.

6. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. Which are the intangible benefits from structured
information and how are they affected by information
management?
2. How can the intangible benefit factors of structured
digital information be visualised and juxtaposed?

8. WORK PROCESS RQ 2

9. THEORETICAL LENS – BOUNDARY
OBJECT

10. THEORETICAL LENS BOUNDARY OBJECT

11. ANALYSIS RQ 1 – FIRST PART
Which are the intangible benefits from structured information
and how are they affected by information management?
Knowledge

12. ANALYSIS RQ 1 – FIRST PART
Which are the intangible benefits from structured information
and how are they affected by information management?
Semantic interoperability

13. ANALYSIS RQ 1 – SECOND PART
Which are the intangible benefits from structured information and
how are they affected by information management?
Not managed – few or no benefit factors are reached

14. ANALYSIS RQ 2
How can the intangible benefit factors of structured digital
information be visualised and juxtaposed?

15. ANALYSIS RQ 2
Visualisation case Alpha

16. ANALYSIS RQ 2
Visualisation case Beta

17. ANALYSIS RQ 2
Juxtaposed case Alpha and Beta

18. CONTRIBUTIONS
Academic contribution
Business side contribution
 Analysis of intangible benefits
of digital information
 Creation of a model for
juxtaposition of intangible benefits

19. FURTHER RESEARCH
A model and method for internal organisational definition and
measurement of their intangible benefits for digital information.
The understanding of how intangible benefit factors are influenced
by time as a factor.

20. Tack!