Collaboration, Trust and Knowledge Sharing in Information Technology Intensive Projects Luis Luna October, 2002

My Objective for Today Show you the first iteration of a formal dissertation proposal –Involves 2 cases, 4 literature streams, two models to be developed in 3 phases, multiple research methods What to trim and what to grow stronger Help with the proposal boundary (Focus in the way the parts fit together, not the detail)

Homeless Information Management System State (BHS) Providers CTG HIMS project

Elicitated in a GMB session with staff from the CTG on April 13, 2001 Reference Modes

Elicitated in a GMB session with staff from the CTG on April 13, 2001

Reference Modes Built from the GMB session with staff from the CTG on May 10, 2002

Reference Modes Built from archival data on the case and the literature (“very difficult to break distrust once the pattern of spiral reinforcement of distrust is formed”)

Initial Conceptualization (Black, 2002)

Actor AActor B Project across boundaries Facilitator Initial Conceptualization Knowledge about A’s role Knowledge about B’s role Trust on B Knowledge about A’s role Knowledge about B’s role Trust on B

Purpose The purpose of this research is to develop a grounded theory about the role of an external intervener (facilitator) in the design of a shared space, which promotes the development of trust and knowledge sharing in the context of complex technology- intensive projects. grounded theory shared spacetrust knowledge sharingcomplex technology- intensive projects

Grounded theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1990) Grounded theory consists in a set of techniques to identify themes or concepts across texts, and link them to generate meaningful theories. It is possible to use any kind of text –Promotional ads –Transcriptions of interviews –Memoranda –Meeting minutes –Any kind of textual data.

Grounded theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1990) In one of the alternatives in the application of the technique, the researcher develops a set of categories or concepts that emerge across the texts. In the particular case of system dynamics, these themes can be variables, dynamic behaviors or policy related topics. Every theme is “grounded” in a set of quotes or exemplars across the database of texts.

The origin of the idea (Luna & Andersen, 2002)

Shared Space (Schrage, 1999) The place where teams work in the creation of ideas around innovative models, simulations and prototypes: –Stakeholder analysis, Process models, Strategic frameworks, System Dynamics models, software prototypes “Who got to play with the model, and when, become a mission-critical management issue”

Effective Design of the Shared Space (Carlile, 2002) Three main approaches to knowledge boundaries (also in Saracevic, 1999): –Syntactic approach –Semantic approach –Pragmatic approach Characteristics of effective boundary objects: –Representativness –Concretness –Transformable

Trust In this kind of setting (projects like HIMS), trust can become a major governance mechanism Common themes: vulnerability, risk, interdependence, positive expectation. “Trust is a psychological state comprising the intention to accept vulnerability based upon positive expectations of the intentions or behavior of another” (Rousseau et al., 1998)

Trust Three forms of trust relevant to this project –Calculus-based trust.- based on information and rational choice. Depends on the ability to assess trustworthiness and on the trustee’s propensity to trust –Identity-based trust.- based on emotional or personal attachment formed by long-term reciprocal interaction. –Institutional-based trust.- based on organizational culture, societal norms and legal systems that mitigate risk and support trust development.

Trust (Rousseau et al.,1998) t Institutional-based Trust Calculus-based Trust Identity-based Trust

Knowledge Sharing Lots of research in Knowledge Management pointing to 4 basic kinds of knowledge: –Tacit/Explicit –Individual/Group Most of these views stress knowledge as an individuals’ “possession”

Knowledge Sharing Knowledge “resides on teams of individuals sharing common experiences” (Gherardi & Nicolini, 2000) “The source of new knowledge and knowing lies in the use of knowledge as a tool of knowing within situated interaction with the social and physical world” (Cook, 1999) “Knowledge is localized, embedded, and invested in the particular objects and ends of a given function” (Carlile, 2002)

Knowledge Sharing (Carlile, 2002) Knowledge transfer is a difficult task. There is a conflict between the knowledge created by a community of practice and the knowledge needed to promote collaboration between communities. Knowledge is a barrier and a source of innovation.

Knowledge Sharing and Trust (Cresswell et al., Forthcoming) Trust appears to be an important factor in Information and Knowledge Sharing. What is missing is a way of framing a wider range of possible ways in which knowledge sharing and trust can interact in a collaborative process.

Complex Technology- Intensive Project Long Tradition in System Dynamics Modeling: –R&D projects (Roberts, 1978; Richardson and Pugh, 1981) –Ship building projects (Cooper, 1980) –Software project management (Abdel-Hammid and Madnik, 1991) –Interactions among allocation of resources when more than one project is under way (Repenning, 2000)

Complex Technology- Intensive Project Scale- up Relationships Specifications Prototyping Production A F B  Knowledge from the problem  Cultural Immersion  Interaction during next stage A B F D  Knowledge from the problem  Specifications A B F D  Knowledge from the problem  Prototype A B F D  Knowledge from the problem  System

The Modeling Strategy Actor AActor B Project across boundaries Facilitator Knowledge about A’s role Knowledge about B’s role Trust on B Knowledge about A’s role Knowledge about B’s role Trust on B

The Modeling Strategy Phase 1 Actor AActor B Project across boundaries Knowledge about A’s role Knowledge about B’s role Trust on B Knowledge about A’s role Knowledge about B’s role Trust on B Facilitator HIMS Model (Based on Group Model Building and Archival Data) Finish the modeling work Develop and test policies

The Modeling Strategy Phase 2 Actor AB Project across boundaries Facilitator Knowledge about Design Knowledge about Problem Trust on Facilitator Knowledge about Design Knowledge about Problem Trust on AB DOJ (Ver. 1) Model (Based on interviews and direct observation) Develop and test policies

The Modeling Strategy Phase 3 DOJ (Ver 2) Model (Based on interviews and direct observation) Test Policies developed and tested in phases 1 and 2 Actor AActor B Project across boundaries Facilitator Knowledge about A’s role Knowledge about B’s role Trust on B Knowledge about A’s role Knowledge about B’s role Trust on B