scholarly journals A new paradigm for virtual knowledge sharing in product development based on emergent social software platforms

2017 ◽  
Vol 232 (13) ◽  
pp. 2297-2308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard David Evans ◽  
James Xiaoyu Gao ◽  
Nick Martin ◽  
Clive Simmonds
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Social Software ◽  
Enterprise 2.0 ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Observation Study ◽  
Software Platforms

The UK Government considers its Aerospace Industry a remarkable success story, enjoying a global market share of 17% in 2015. The capture, management and sharing of employee knowledge is seen as vital if the industry is to remain highly innovative and retain its pre-eminent position internationally. Aerospace manufacturers, such as BAE Systems, often have to re-engineer business processes routinely to ensure their survival. Knowledge sharing in the industry is seen as challenging due to the dispersed nature of its operations and multi-tier supply chains. This article, through a 5-year participant-observation study at the World’s second largest aerospace and defence organisation, BAE Systems, proposes a new paradigm for virtual knowledge sharing in dispersed aerospace product development based on emergent social software platforms such as Enterprise 2.0 technologies. The developed framework and methodologies are applied to the bespoke BAE Systems’ engineering lifecycle process to validate its effectiveness with results indicating that Enterprise 2.0 technologies offer a more openly innovative environment in which employees may share and interact with knowledge more effectively and easily across geographical and functional boundaries, compared with conventional engineering information systems.

Objectified Knowledge through Social Media

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fahd-Omair Zaffar ◽  
Ahmad Ghazawneh
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Social Software ◽  
Cycle Model ◽  
Mass Collaboration ◽  
Software Platforms ◽  
Internal Social Media ◽  
Collaborative Efforts

The developments of new technologies, new scientific initiatives and a new globalized market are giving rise to new forms of collaboration, referred to as mass collaboration. This phenomenon is mainly derived from communities and self-organization, and is based on Web 2.0 technologies, services and tools. This new form of collaboration and technologies are giving rise of emergent social software platforms (ESSP’s) that are adopted by firms worldwide. The main aim of this research is to understand how firms are using such new technologies and collaborative efforts to assist knowledge sharing to achieve objectified knowledge. Central to this research is the proposed knowledge sharing cycle model, which has three main stages - internalization, externalization, and objectification. This model is adapted based on the findings of a case study of internal social media strategy of IBM Corporation. The findings indicate that ESSP’s can be used to support knowledge sharing practices and to help convert knowledge into its different forms in enhancing knowledge acquisition.

Supporting Expertise Coordination in Multidisciplinary Project Teams

2009 ◽  
Vol 53 (16) ◽  
pp. 1008-1012
Author(s):  
Sandra K. Garrett ◽  
Barrett S. Caldwell ◽  
Shawn T. Collins
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
Organizational Diversity ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
Project Outcomes ◽  
Usable Knowledge ◽  
Development Teams ◽  
Multiple Dimensions

Distributed product development teams require integration of expertise from multiple technical disciplines and, in some companies, geographical and organizational diversity as well. Systems engineering methodologies can be applied to measure and support the effectiveness of knowledge sharing in complex, time sensitive development environments. In addition, effective knowledge sharing can reduce the incidence of failed coordination and adverse events. In this paper, three conceptual frameworks are proposed to help address these issues. Concepts of knowledge clusters, multiple dimensions of expertise, and information foraging are shown to affect structure, process and timing of team behaviors and project outcomes. These frameworks provide systematic analysis and usable knowledge sharing tools to coordinate knowledge transfer across expertise boundaries within a product development team. Specific methods can be used to move information across these boundaries to improve information alignment and organizational efficiency.

Identifying Enablers and Barriers to Successful Platform-Based Product Development: A Case Study From Business-to-Business Products

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens Jorgensen ◽  
David Havens ◽  
Paul Salvatore ◽  
Alvaro J. Rojas Arciniegas ◽  
Marcos Esterman
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Organizational Structures ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Current State ◽  
Development Teams ◽  
Phase Gate ◽  
Different Cultures ◽  
Business To Business

Product development teams are facing continued pressure to develop more products in less time and with fewer resources. Platform-based developed is commonly seen as a solution to increase capacity of the product development pipeline. This research identified enablers and barriers to successful platform-based product development. This was achieved through a comprehensive literature review of the current state of the art and an exploratory case study of product development practices within a business-to-business environment from companies with significantly different cultures and experiences with platform-based product development. Key enablers identified in this research include institutionalizing systems engineering, development and communication of product development roadmaps, augmentation of phase gate review process and critical parameter characterization. Operational recommendations from this research are considered to be possible to implement without significant changes to existing processes and organizational structures.

scholarly journals Affordances for drinking alcohol: A non-participant observation study in licensed premises

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 747-755
Author(s):  
Kimberley M. Hill ◽  
Michael Pilling ◽  
David R. Foxcroft
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Drinking Alcohol ◽  
Observation Study ◽  
Licensed Premises

scholarly journals “Through the Looking Glass”: The Emotional Journey of the Volunteer Ethnographer when Researching Sensitive Topics with Vulnerable Populations

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fábio Augusto ◽  
Ana Hilário
Keyword(s):  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Dual Role ◽  
Observation Study ◽  
Emotional Challenges ◽  
Sensitive Topics ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Reflective Strategies ◽  
Looking Glass

This paper extends further research on being both a volunteer and ethnographic researcher and intends to offer some insights on the emotional challenges of adopting this dual role when conducting research on sensitive topics and with vulnerable populations. The discussion presented here draws upon an ethnographic participant observation study of a food redistribution organization (Re-food) held in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. The paper builds awareness on the emotional challenges in the field and discusses potential self-reflective strategies for researchers to cope with the extraordinary demands posed on them by specific circumstances and subjects. The volunteer ethnographer, when developing their work, is subject to a wide range of emotional challenges that are related to the functions that they had to develop in the research context itself due to their dual role, as well as to the vulnerability of participants and the sensitivity of the topic addressed.

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