TY - JOUR

T1 - Boundless and bounded interactions in the knowledge work process : the role of groupware technologies.

AU - Hayes, Niall

PY - 2001/4

Y1 - 2001/4

N2 - This paper considers how the time/space distanciation that the introduction of a groupware technology provided was implicated in the knowledge work process. This theme will be explored within the context of the UK selling division of a multi-national pharmaceutical company. Specifically, the introduction of the groupware system will be explained to have opened up a new network of relationships, and presented opportunities for employees to share perspectives within and between functional, geographic and time boundaries within the particular context of this company. However, the study will temper this optimism by considering the problematic issues that arose from employees seeking to share their perspectives between boundaries with a reliance on the groupware technology. Knowledge production is conceptualised from a communities of practice perspective, requiring the ability to make strong perspectives within a community, as well as the ability to take the perspective of another into account. Giddens work on the nature of contemporary society is also drawn upon to further sensitise the analysis. The principles underlying ethnography underpinned the longitudinal research process.

AB - This paper considers how the time/space distanciation that the introduction of a groupware technology provided was implicated in the knowledge work process. This theme will be explored within the context of the UK selling division of a multi-national pharmaceutical company. Specifically, the introduction of the groupware system will be explained to have opened up a new network of relationships, and presented opportunities for employees to share perspectives within and between functional, geographic and time boundaries within the particular context of this company. However, the study will temper this optimism by considering the problematic issues that arose from employees seeking to share their perspectives between boundaries with a reliance on the groupware technology. Knowledge production is conceptualised from a communities of practice perspective, requiring the ability to make strong perspectives within a community, as well as the ability to take the perspective of another into account. Giddens work on the nature of contemporary society is also drawn upon to further sensitise the analysis. The principles underlying ethnography underpinned the longitudinal research process.

KW - Computer-supported co-operative work (CSCW)

KW - Groupware

KW - Time/space

KW - Knowledge work

KW - Communities of practice

KW - Late modernity

U2 - 10.1016/S1471-7727(00)00002-6

DO - 10.1016/S1471-7727(00)00002-6

M3 - Journal article

VL - 11

SP - 79

EP - 101

JO - Information and Organization

JF - Information and Organization

SN - 1471-7727

IS - 2

ER -