The conceptual organization: an emergent organizational form for collaborative R&D

Sonnenwald, D. H. The conceptual organization: an emergent organizational form for collaborative R&D. Science Public Policy, 2003, vol. 30, n. 4, pp. 261-272. [Journal article (Paginated)]

[thumbnail of SPPaug03Sonnenwald.pdf]
Preview
PDF
SPPaug03Sonnenwald.pdf

Download (112kB) | Preview

English abstract

Analysis of organizational documentation, sociometric survey and observation data from a two-year field study of an R&D organization suggests that a new type of research and development (R&D) organization, called the conceptual organization, is emerging. The conceptual organization relies on and facilitates collaboration in research and development; it is based on a long-term vision that addresses large complex and challenging problems of national and global importance. Its purpose is to work towards this vision, quickly and effectively contributing to relevant dynamic knowledge bases and meeting diverse stakeholder needs with minimum capitalization and start-up costs. To achieve this, it has an explicit conceptual organizational structure in addition to a physical structure, both of which are interwoven across other external organizational and physical structures. Conceptual organizations engage scientists through the appeal of their vision and socio-technical infrastructures that encourage and facilitate collaboration. Challenges for conceptual organizations may arise due to conflicts with traditional norms and practices embedded in university and R&D settings.

Item type: Journal article (Paginated)
Keywords: data analysis, information use, collaboration, organizational structure
Subjects: B. Information use and sociology of information
Depositing user: Diane Sonnenwald
Date deposited: 14 Aug 2006
Last modified: 02 Oct 2014 12:04
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/7974

References

Adler, P, and P Adler (1987), Membership Roles in Research (Sage, Newbury Park CA).

Benowitz, S (1995), “Wave of the future: interdisciplinary collaboration”, The Scientist, 9(13), pages 1–4.

Boulding, K (1989), The Three Faces of Power (Sage, Newbury Park CA).

Crane, D (1972), Invisible Colleges: the Diffusion of Knowledge in Scientific Communities (University of Chicago Press, Chicago).

Daft, R L, and R H Lengel (1984), ”Information richness: a new approach to managerial behavior and organizational design”, in L L Cummings and B M Shaw (editors), Research in Organizational Behavior (JAI Press, Greenwich CT) pages 191–233.

Duarte, D, and N Snyder (1999), Mastering Virtual Teams (Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco).

Glaser, B (1978), Theoretical Sensitivity: Advances in the Methodology of Grounded Theory (Sociology Press, Mill Valley CA).

Grey, D, M Lindblad and J Rudolph (2001), ”Industry–university research centers: a multivariate analysis of member retention”, Journal of Technology Transfer, 26, pages 247–254.

Kanter, R (1994), “Collaborative advantage: the art of alliances”, Harvard Business Review, 72(4), pages 96–109.

Kuhn, T (1970), The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (University of Chicago Press, Chicago).

Olson, G M, and J S Olson (2000), “Distance matters”, Human–Computer Interaction, 15(2-3), pages 139–178.

Orlikowski, W (1993), “Learning from notes: organizational issues in groupware implementation”, The Information Society, 9(3), pages 237–250.

Robson, C (2002), Real World Research (Blackwell, Oxford UK).

Rocco, E, T Finholt, E Hofer and J Herbsleb (2000), “Designing as if trust mattered”, in Proceedings of the ACM SIGCHI Conference, CREW Technical Report, University of Michigan, available at <http://www.crew.umich.edu/Technical%20reports/Rocco_Designing_as_if_trust_mattered_04_28_00.pdf>, last accessed 9 August 2003.

Salter, L, and A Hearn (1996), Outside the Lines (McGill-Queen’s University, Montreal, Canada). Science of Collaboratories (2002), “Summary of the workshop on social underpinnings of collaboratories”, 15 March 2001, available at <http://www.scienceofcollaboratories.org/html/Workshops/WorkshopJune42001/FinalSummary.html>, last accessed 9 August 2003.

Strauss, A (1998), Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory (Sage, Thousand Oaks CA). Sonnenwald, D H (1996), “Communication roles that support collaboration during the design process”, Design Studies, 17, pages 277–301.

Sonnenwald, D H, P Solomon, N Hara, R Bolliger and T Cox (2002), “Collaboration in the large: using video conferencing to facilitate large group interaction”, in A Gunasekaran and O Khalil (editors), Knowledge and Information Technology in 21st Century Organizations: Human and Social Perspectives (Idea Group Publishing, Hershey PA) pages 115–136.

Teasley, S, L Covi L, M S Krishnan and J S Olson (2000), “How does radical collocation help a team succeed?”, Proceedings of the Computer Supported Cooperative Work Conference (ACM Press, New York) pages 339–346).

Wasserman, S, and K Faust (1994), Social Network Analysis (Cambridge University Press, New York).


Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item