Innovation and knowledge sharing across professional boundaries: Political interplay between boundary objects and brokers

Abstract

The article examines the process of innovation and knowledge sharing from a perspective that focuses on the influence that local circumstances can have. In particular, it looks at the problems of knowledge sharing between groups of professionals. It presents a comparative analysis of two studies, one involving two groups of IT professionals; the other a network of healthcare professionals. The data was collected in two sets. The first set consisted of the results from two earlier, independent studies; the second was collected specifically for this article. We investigate the role played by boundary objects and brokers. Through an analysis of the interplay between boundary object and broker, we uncover the dynamics of the innovation process and show that the role played by the broker can be political. We identify two strategies that are used by brokers in the selection of a boundary object. The first is directed towards achieving a balance between the actors involved and the second is directed towards controlling their activities. We conclude by suggesting that other researchers should also consider the interplay between broker and boundary object when examining cross boundary knowledge sharing.

Knowledge sharing and health-care coordination: the role of creation and use brokers

“…This included being able to update the healthcare professional with whom they were interacting about any changes in their child's condition that were not on the SPOC. This testifies to the symbolic role that boundary objects can play (Swan et al, 2007), especially when considered in conjunction with broker practices (Kimble et al, 2010).…”

“…Yet, Kimble et al, (2010) show how brokers will often use boundary objects selectively, mobilizing them for different purposes; for example, to facilitate (or even impede) information sharing or to control the flow of information. This suggests that it is important to look at the relationships between brokers and boundary objects (i.e., between the social and the material) to fully understand how they mediate the sharing of knowledge across communities.…”

Boundary objects in information science

“…Further, the recognition of the consequences of boundaries and the authority and agency that are designed into processes and materials (e.g. Light & Anderson, 2009;Kimble et al, 2010) extends the theory into critical authoring and making of systems, artefacts, documents, concepts and other objects.…”

Cultural Challenges in Information Systems Innovation: The Need for Differentiation Studies

“…Globalization has produced a multiplicity of boundaries due to greater interaction and specialization (Lindgren, Andersson, & Henfridsson, 2008). Within boundaries, knowledge tends to be homogenous and stagnant (Kimble, Grenier, & Goglio-Primard, 2010). Thus, to acquire knowledge of something that exists outside one's own organizational context, one must reach across organizational boundaries.…”

“…Thus, to acquire knowledge of something that exists outside one's own organizational context, one must reach across organizational boundaries. Linking two or more groups separated by institutions, location, hierarchy, or function, facilitates boundary-spanning in organizational contexts (Kimble et al, 2010). …”