Knowledge Transformation in Project Networks: A Speech Act Level Cross-Boundary Analysis

Alin, Pauli; Taylor, John E.; Smeds, Riitta

doi:10.1002/pmj.20254

Cited by 29 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…In contrast, some authors emphasise the roles of agency and individual 'knowledge assets', either in general [48][49][50][51] or by attributing a special role to (middle) managers. 47,52 This appears to reflect the diversity in the wider field of organisation studies, where some authors emphasise the roles of individuals (or agency) while others emphasise the importance of institutions and the ways in which they shape (and are shaped by) the behaviour of individuals.…”

Section: The Main Themesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our accounts shed limited light on two topics, namely the reported differences in the contexts of publicly and privately owned organisations, 12,55,56 and the ways in which power relations influence knowledge creation. 62,64,65 Two arguments in the literature were not supported, concerning the role of agency [48][49][50][51] and the superiority of organisational co-ordination over relational contracts. 53,54 On agency, we are only in a position to observe that only one of our nine accounts indicated that an individual had played a crucial role; in any case, it seems reasonable to note that the bulk of the literature emphasises collective actions rather than DOI: 10.3310/hsdr02120 HEALTH SERVICES AND DELIVERY RESEARCH 2014 VOL.…”

Section: Reflections On the Knowledge-creation Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…63 Conflicts of interest across professional and organisational boundaries are accentuated by Alin et al 48 Finally, a distinctive approach is taken by two papers which apply Vygotskian activity theory to the study of organisational knowledge creation. 71,72 Relevance to the study We agree with Ferlie and colleagues' observations about the status of the academic literature.…”

Section: The Main Themesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The role of informal networks in creating knowledge among health-care managers: a prospective case study

Ward

West

Smith

et al. 2014

Health Services and Delivery Research

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BackgroundHealth and well-being services, in common with many public services, cannot be delivered by a single organisation and require co-ordination across several organisations in a locality. There is some evidence, mostly from other sectors, that middle managers play pivotal roles in this co-ordination by developing networks of relationships with colleagues in other organisations. These networks of relationships, established over time, provide contexts in which managers can, collectively, create the knowledge needed to address the challenges they encounter. Relatively little is known, however, about how these knowledge-creation processes work in a health-care context.AimThis study focuses on how health and well-being managers collectively create knowledge. Our objectives were to develop a better understanding of the way that knowledge is created within and between health-care organisations, across different managerial levels, and of the role played by informal networks in those processes.MethodsThe study was undertaken in health and well-being services in three sites in northern England, employing a case study design. The field methods used were landscape mapping, structured data collection for network analysis and latent position cluster analysis, and semi-structured interviews for narrative analysis. Our network modelling approach used the concepts of latent position network models and latent position cluster models. We used these models to identify clusters of people within networks, and people who acted as bridgers between clusters. We then interviewed middle managers who – on the evidence of our cluster models – occupied similar positions in our graphs. The latter were used to produce practice-based narratives of knowledge creation.ResultsOur narrative results showed that middle managers were synthesisers, in three different senses. First, they draw on different types of information, from a range of sources – quantitative routine data about populations and services, reports on progress against contractual targets, research evidence, and intelligence from colleagues in other localities. Second, they are able to link national policies and local priorities, and reconcile them with local operational realities. They are not always successful, but can integrate the different approaches and working practices of NHS, local authority, private and voluntary organisations. Third, they are able to link ideas, negotiation and action. We found that the network results were most usefully represented asclusters, explaining relationships between actors. Actors within clusters had common attributes, and as a result we were able to interpret the broad purpose of each of the clusters in the graphs for each site. The most useful number of clusters was three or four for both network types, and for both sampling periods, at each of the three sites. The clusters at all three sites had a mix of organisations represented within them. There was a mix of seniorities of managers in all clusters. Relationships were simultaneously formal and informal: formal contracts were managed in a context of ongoing conversations and negotiations. Relationships were simultaneously stable and fluid, with stable ‘cores’ of managers but memberships that varied substantially between two periods of data collection.ConclusionsOur theory about knowledge creation was broadly supported. Managers of health and well-being services develop and maintain knowledge collectively. Their collective efforts are typically manifested either in projects requiring multiorganisational inputs or in taking ideas from genesis to the delivery of a new service. The cluster modelling suggests that networks of managers are able to maintain relationships, and hence conserve technical and prudential knowledge, over months and years. Priorities for future work include establishing the value of latent cluster modelling in understanding the work of groups and teams in other health and social care settings, and studying knowledge creation in the context of the interorganisational co-ordination of services.FundingThe National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme.

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Section: The Main Themesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Reflections On the Knowledge-creation Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Main Themesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The role of informal networks in creating knowledge among health-care managers: a prospective case study

Ward

West

Smith

et al. 2014

Health Services and Delivery Research

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“…PMO roles Hallows, 2002;Aubry et al 2008;Hobbs et Aubry, 2010, Rose, 2011, Unger et al, 2012KM and PM Bower et Walker, 2007Ajmal et Koskinen, 2008;Reich, Gemino et Sauer, 2008;Gladden, 2009;Petter et Randolph, 2009;Tukel et al 2010, Johansson et al, 2011Alin et al, 2011;Gasik, 2011, Koskinen, 2012Müller et al, 2013;Pemsel et Wiewiora, 2013 PMO roles on KM days). The transcribed interviews were presented to the interviewees for ensuring validity and reliability.…”

Section: Theoretical Perspectives Referencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(2011), the importance of knowledge maturity to development projects; the relation between organizational performance and the knowledge to the project management; Alin et al (2011) knowledge transformation in projects; Gasik (2011) show a model of project knowledge management; Koskinen (2012) knowledge management as a factor that can improve project implementation; (Müller et al, 2013) project management knowledge in PMOs; Horstein (2014) knowledge as a factor of integration of projects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A knowledge management perspective of the project management office

Nadae

Carvalho

2017

BJO&PM

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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the converting projects tacit knowledge into an available explicit knowledge in Project Management Offices, using the SECI model to analyze these processes. Using case studies, the information was gathered by in loco observation, interviews with PMO managers and project managers, and document analysis. The results show the socialization, externalization, combination and internalization, SECI in PMOs level, helping to visualize the process of transforming project tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge and to understand that knowledge must be incorporated into operational practices, rules in databases, and company history. Organizational culture was presented itself as a major factor, influencing this process of sharing knowledge among employees from the two companies studied. The steps of the spiral of knowledge, using the SECI model for the conversion of knowledge, the stage and how companies apply this conversion, show that these processes happen on a daily basis and continuously if the team understands this need. Project managers have to emphasizes the important of knowledge management, knowledge sharing and knowledge storage during the development of projects. Mainly PMO has an important role in the process of storage and sharing of knowledge.

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Exploring Negotiation through Boundary Objects in Global Design Project Networks

Marco

Alin

Taylor

2012

Project Management Journal

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IBoundary objects have been shown to play an important role in sharing knowledge in and across firms. However, little research has examined whether boundary objects can facilitate emergence of common knowledge across national cultural boundaries. To examine this, we observed 1,428 design review interactions involving U.S. and Indian engineers. We quantitatively analyzed 419 interactions involving engineers and boundary objects and then qualitatively analyzed 67 instances of boundary object-mediated negotiation. We found that boundary objects can play a central role in negotiating complex design knowledge. We then induced a propositional theoretical model of boundary object-mediated negotiation in global design project networks.

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Knowledge Transformation in Project Networks: A Speech Act Level Cross-Boundary Analysis

Cited by 29 publications

References 54 publications

The role of informal networks in creating knowledge among health-care managers: a prospective case study

The role of informal networks in creating knowledge among health-care managers: a prospective case study

A knowledge management perspective of the project management office

Exploring Negotiation through Boundary Objects in Global Design Project Networks

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