Collaborative Knowledge Creation Research Articles

Preparing students for the future: multidisciplinary perspectives on pedagogical activities and their spatial embeddedness

ABSTRACTTo implement educational transformations that prepare young people for the future society, it is valuable to deepen scientific understanding of socio-cultural, psychic, and physical aspects of learning environments. Towards that end, in this case study we examined educators’ and construction specialists’ perceptions of pedagogical activities and how design of physical learning environments intends to reciprocally support those activities in the context of constructing a new school building during the national renewal of general upper secondary schools in Finland. The study relied on multidisciplinary interviews (n = 22), observations and outcomes of participatory workshops, teachers’ free-form notes on benchmarking visits to recently occupied learning environments, and the operational requirements and goals that architects had prepared for the new building. Our analysis resulted in a framework comprising spatio-pedagogically interrelated themes of collaboration and community building, teaching and learning transversal competencies, supporting students’ wellbeing and inclusion, and digital instruments and technologies in support of teaching and learning. The results appear to indicate that pedagogical activities and their spatial embeddedness would have interrelations when constructing new learning environments that aim at collaborative knowledge creation, creative problem-solving, and teaching practices that build on the learners’ knowledge and active roles in learning.

Editorial: Scholar‐stakeholder collaboration for rigorous and relevant HRM research—Possible contributions and key requirements of collaborative studies in HRM

AbstractHuman Resource Management research is striving to develop rigorous and actionable knowledge for today’s social and environmental global challenges. For years, academic‐stakeholder collaborative knowledge creation processes have been considered as potentially rewarding ways to achieve this objective. However, applications of collaborative HRM research are still relatively sparse, as HR scholars tend to engage with more traditional processes of knowledge creation. The aim of this editorial is to foster more widespread conduct of collaborative HRM research in the future. Drawing on Habermas, whose ideas on human knowledge are considered to be at the core of the epistemology of collaborative management research, we first highlight three avenues for collaborative HRM research that addresses our technical, practical and emancipatory knowledge‐constitutive interests. For each of them, we highlight key theoretical assumptions and risks. Thereafter, we describe two key requirements for rigour and relevance in the context of any collaborative HRM study. Finally, we present the papers included in this special section and discuss their implications for HRM research.

Development of A Learning Model for Blended Collaborative Knowledge Construction in Vocational Education

Vocational Education readies students for specific careers and industries. A robust learning approach is crucial to meet modern workforce demands and foster knowledge exchange. This article introduces the origination of a Learning Model for Blended Collaborative Knowledge Construction in Vocational Education. This model merges methods from blended learning with collaborative strategies for constructing knowledge, fuelling student engagement, skills acquisition, and shared knowledge creation. The research utilizes the Delphi method to accumulate convincing proof for learning models prioritizing blended collaboration in knowledge generation. The sample pool comprises 60 students spanning two Zigong Vocational Training Institute classes, gathered via selective sampling. Data collection involved pre and post-testing of the student’s performance in the experimental and control groups, reinforced by the satisfaction survey from the experimental group. Data analysis employed statistical tools like percentages, means, standard deviations, and the t-test for related samples. The study found that pretest scores and SPSS data analysis showed that the f-test significant value is .702, which exceeds .05. This implies that, under the assumption of equal variance, the mean equivalence t-test findings for the first row of data, as shown in the table above, show that the experimental class averages 81.02 and the control class 81.05. The experimental and control groups' pretest scores are not significantly different, as the computed p-value of .984 is larger than .05. Thus, teaching practice is reasonable. The experimental group's student satisfaction measure averaged 4.27, ranging from 4.10 to 4.43, indicating that students are content with their academics. The control group's student satisfaction measure averaged 2.87, ranging from 2.50 to 3.10, indicating low satisfaction with learning. Students in a vocational education setting were compared using a hybrid collaborative knowledge creation learning model, demonstrating its potential to enhance student satisfaction and outcomes.

Guiding Digital Transformation and Collaborative Knowledge Creation in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Through Action Research

Digital transformation initiatives in supply chain require a sector-level approach, involving multiple stakeholders. This implies the development of new models for successful implementation that move beyond the dyadic relationship level and that fosters collaboration mechanisms in multi-stakeholder and multi-level systems. This study applies an insider action research approach to the implementation of the EU system for product traceability in the pharmaceutical supply chain, the EU falsified medicines directive, focusing on stakeholder orientation's alignment. The study identifies how to overcome obstacles to the effective governance of multi-stakeholder digital transformation in supply chains. It proposes new pre-cycle and monitoring mechanisms to use in AR, highlighting the importance of formal structures to foster informal governance and relationships among different stakeholders and introducing the notion of deliberative capacity. Practical implications for managers of companies and organizations at different levels of the supply chain are discussed, illustrating the practical outcomes of the pan-European project.

Predicting SME’s business performance: Integrating stakeholder theory and performance based innovation model

Empirical evidence and study investigating the effects of social capital on innovation and business performance remains limited. Moreover, the current debate about the role of innovation on business performance remains, given the application effects that would differ particular in SMEs. The study examines the implications of social capital in affecting business performance by integrating stakeholder theory and a performance-based innovation model. Subsequently, we examined strategic agility’s role in moderating social capital and business performance’s relationship. The present study used a quantitative approach that included 855 respondents out of 285 sample frames in Indonesia, representing three levels of SME management. Data collection was conducted using Likert scale questionnaires and analyzed by SmartPLS software. The study suggested that social capital combined with collaborative knowledge creation and technology adoption offer new insights to predict future innovation and business performance. All of this highlighted the critical role that was played by social capital in defining innovation and business performance and how collaborative knowledge creation can drive innovation.

Understanding digital information production in virtual communities from the perspective of Actor-Network Theory

Organizational management has been extended to tourism virtual entities. This study is to explore the organizational practice in the virtual scenario, through which investigates the process of knowledge creation. The online questionnaire survey is applied to collect the multisource and time-lagged data from boards of Internet forums. The polynomial regression and response surface method are used to examine the (in)congruence effect. The hypothesized relations are simultaneously estimated using structural equation modeling. Results show that when the forum moderator's (i.e., formal leader) and the opinion leader's bricolage capacity are in congruence and at the high level (high-high congruence), collaborative knowledge creation in an Internet forum is found to be the highest. Moreover, asymmetrical incongruence effects are found wherein the higher bricolage capacity of opinion leaders can weaken the adverse effect of the lower bricolage capacity of formal leaders on collaborative knowledge creation in an Internet forum. This study reveals the group dynamics in the information coproduction process on virtual communities, which expands the integration of Actor-Network Theory (ANT) and media networks and displays the fine-grained micro-picture of information production.

Idea generation techniques in pop-up tourism labs

This study is the first of its kind – at least to the author's knowledge – that employs the knowledge creation theory to propose a new model of idea generation in short-term tourism innovation labs. This qualitative multi-case study explores six labs to reveal the elements of the idea generation techniques used in the labs. Furthermore, by modifying the existing knowledge creation process model, this study assembles the elements into a sequence. It shows that collaborative knowledge creation in tourism can potentially be enabled by employing techniques that include an informal introduction, individual thinking and presentations, group and plenary discussions, followed by a recapitulation at the end. The study offers a practical guide for designing idea generation techniques in tourism labs.

Developing a Transformative Praxis-Based Curriculum to Educate Physical Therapy Students for Social Responsibility: A Philippine Qualitative Case Study.

Physical therapy (PT) academic institutions are called upon to strengthen their transformative role in developing more socially responsible graduates. Study objectives were to explore faculty perspectives on educating PT students for social responsibility (SR) and to identify strategies for improvement. Adopting a "curriculum as praxis" orientation for curriculum development supports educating for SR because of its focus on transforming self and the world through recurring critical reflection and action. To complement the curriculum, ensuring SR in the entire academic environment, including institutional structures and capable educators, will enrich student development. Six PT educators from a Philippine university with distinct SR mandates were purposively invited to participate based on their key involvements in various aspects of educating for SR. A participatory approach guided the methods to encourage collaborative creation of practical knowledge. Participant perspectives were gathered through focus group discussions, which were informed by research on SR in Philippine PT. Discussions were transcribed and then subjected to thematic analysis. Three themes highlighted main areas for practice improvement: 1) strengthening curricular focus on SR through a whole-of-curriculum approach to incorporating opportunities for cognitive learning on SR and praxis (reflection and action); 2) maximizing institutional programs by helping students recognize them as further opportunities for developing SR; 3) and ensuring faculty has the capacity to educate for SR. Educating for SR requires a transformative curriculum supported by aligned institutional programs and capable educators. This study enjoins PT educators to ensure a strong SR agenda in their PT programs by analyzing and acting on the transformative purpose of their curricula, including the influence of institutional structures, and support needed by educators to enable students to respond to the needs of the society they serve.

Open Educational Practices

Open educational practices (OEP) is an umbrella term that includes the creation, use, and reuse of open educational resources (OER); pedagogical practices encouraging peer learning, collaborative knowledge creation, sharing, and empowerment of learners; and systemic and structural initiatives to support and embed openness. The underlying values of OEP match those of open education more broadly, i.e. enabling educational access, ensuring inclusivity, and furthering equity. Examples of OEP include using OER, renewable/non-disposable assignments (where students publish work openly), collaborative annotation, Wikipedia editing, open courses, and engaging in open learning/teaching communities, among many others. Some people use the terms 'OEP' and 'open pedagogy' interchangeably, while others consider OEP to be a broader concept, inclusive of open pedagogy, as the latter focuses primarily on teaching practices (see Open Pedagogy). OEP can be enacted at the level of individual artifacts, modules or programs (via OER, open pedagogy, open textbooks, open learning design) as well as systemically across institutional structures (via open education policies, open publishing practices, reward/recognition structures). Recent OEP research focuses on the importance of critical and social justice approaches, reflecting wider trends in digital and higher education. Such approaches acknowledge the importance of context and power relations and encourage diverse, inclusive, and equitable approaches to openness.

Ethical Dilemmas, Rewards, and Lessons for the Future: Conducting Participatory Photographic Research With Asylum Seekers

This paper draws on my experience of organising a photovoice project with asylum seekers to outline the ethical dilemmas and rewards of planning and facilitating a participatory, creative research project with a hard-to-reach, potentially vulnerable population. It offers lessons learnt and useful insights for others considering a similar approach to data collection. The photo project was utilised to explore the impact of involvement with community-based social protection on the self-reported wellbeing of asylum seekers in the United Kingdom. It was also designed to test the efficacy of the photovoice research methodology to produce simple, impactful findings useful for researcher, research participant and policymaker, empowering those who have often had little voice in community development to inform policy discussions. The paper is written from the author’s perspective, adopting a layered approach that utilises fieldnotes, quotes from project participants, and exhibition attendee feedback to provide a rounded description of the project. It pays particular attention to ethical dilemmas concerning project access, recruitment and communication and the complexity of juggling academic ethical rigour with a community-led approach across cultural and linguistic borders. It highlights how power dynamics can be experienced in the research environment entangled with issues of co-researcher dignity, ownership, and vulnerability. It also details the positive outcomes of the photovoice project in relation to collaborative knowledge creation, empathetic understanding, and advocacy opportunities. The author concludes by offering a summary of the key lessons learnt through the project and their implications for future research.

Collaborative Learning for Professional Development: A Review of Research Methods and Instruments

This paper analyzes teacher collaboration research studies based on the research methods and tools used in these studies. As a researchmethodology, 36 studies were systematically collected from research databases such as EBSCO, ERIC, and search engines such as GoogleScholar, based on the selection criteria and themes. Across the studies, they were analyzed using thematic data analysis. According to thefindings, collaborative dimensions and activities, teachers’ beliefs and perceptions on their collaboration, teachers’ room to communicate,teacher-to-teacher dialogue, the way teachers work together, and collaborative attitudes are factors in developing research methods andtools used in previous studies of teacher collaboration in schools. Furthermore, previous studies have included various participants such asadministrators, teachers, staff members in schools, parents, families, community members and school board members. Informal collaboration,professional learning experience and peer collaboration, school culture, social networks, leadership and school management teams,sustainability in financial and physical conditions of schools and well-planned in-service teacher education programs based on collaborativeknowledge creation are factors that influence teacher collaboration. Different conceptual frameworks and instruments have been usedto describe teacher collaboration, such as the Teacher Collaboration Improvement Framework (TCIF), the Community of Practice (CoP), theTeacher Collaboration Assessment Survey (TCAS) and the Professional Learning Community-Revised (PLCR) instrument. According to thefindings, more research on the term “interprofessional collaboration” in the field of teacher education is required because collaborationbetween representatives of different professions is now essential for school improvement. The findings of this study have the potential tocontribute to future research in teacher collaboration and interprofessional collaboration in education.

Disrupting the traditional academic development model: Technology Demonstrators

Technology Demonstrators (TechDems) is an initiative at UniSQ for collective oversight of educational technology use in learning and teaching. It is an evolving Community of Practice (CoP) inspired by the work of Treyner-Wenger (2015) on groups of­ people who engage in a process of collective learning. Generating excitement around new ideas including technologies is not hard but sustaining interest and supporting skill development and appropriate edtech purchases that lead to shifting current practice is a challenge. TechDems addresses the challenge of changemaking by providing the means for interaction, sharing and collaboration. TechDems aligns with the theory and practice of Connectivism and Collaborativism. As such it is disruptive by not providing a ‘sit and get’ approach to academic development but encouraging ongoing participation and contribution. With regards to Connectivism Siemens (2005) states, “The pipe is more important than the content in the pipe” implying that learning and knowledge are contextual and new information is constantly being acquired through technology-infused networked participation and connected practices. Other influences include Collaborativism (Harasim, 2017) ??that builds on constructivist learning theory and the use of the internet for collaborative knowledge creation, and Learning Collaboratives (Lindsay, 2016) that foster confidence and autonomy, extended local and global communities and collaboration that leads to co-creation. Aligned with CoP ideals, Learning Collaboratives disrupt expectations around how we learn and how we affect change within learning and teaching which is not in isolation. Underlying the purpose and activity of TechDems is the recognition that it is imperative to explore and discover innovative ways to facilitate leading edge, digitally-infused teaching through what we call the four pillars: technology, pedagogy, research and evaluation. TechDems is unique in that it provides a hub for all participants and encourages distributed and socially constructed, individual and group driven, learning systems prioritising transparency, sharing, and collaboration when learning virtually and with technology. By flipping traditional models and focusing on needs that are user driven, TechDem Learning and Teaching Quality Partners work relationally with academics on a range of activities. Piloting and evaluating new educational technologies, such as Engageli, allows participants to work collaboratively whilst learning the new platform and creating socially embedded decisions with regards to how and if the tool will be adopted. Hosting internationally blended events, such as a hybrid learning workshop with German university JLU-Giessen, demonstrates how learning technologies can be used to create global learning, networks, and understandings. SIGS, such as the Student Engagement SIG, or the Student Portfolio SIG are participant led allowing members to share their passions, projects, and frustrations. In addition, TechDems promotes ‘Champions’ as leaders within the academic environment; hosts academic ‘ThinkPiece’ video vignettes of shared practice; collaborates with diverse stakeholder such as ICT, Schools, and other stakeholders; and provides a regular newsletter and dynamic website for enhanced communication and access to learning artefacts. In each of these examples from TechDem practice, the traditional linear model of professional learning is disrupted to enhance collectivism and collaborativism. As evidence of best practice TechDems are driving change through a focus on the needs of stakeholders in conjunction with institutional strategies for student success. The approach provides three key opportunities for change: connection to ‘experts’; opportunities to share practice and learning; and, increases in the use of pedagogically appropriate technologies for learning. Others can learn from and emulate the range and scope of ongoing projects and CoP activities. Feedback from participants in the program continue to indicate positive impacts on their teaching and learning, as a result the TechDems are initiating ongoing research into the effectiveness of edtech tools and associated pedagogies in learning.

Developing Organizational Agility in SMEs: An Investigation of Innovation’s Roles and Strategic Flexibility

Although social capital and collaborative knowledge creation were considered essential drivers in maintaining competitive advantage, empirical evidence on the impact of collaborative knowledge creation on organizational agility remained limited. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between social capital and collaborative knowledge creation in building innovation and agility and testing strategic flexibility as a moderating variable. It employed a quantitative design by distributing questionnaires to 414 managers and assistant managers of SMEs analyzed by SmartPLS-SEM. The results showed that social capital significantly affected collaborative knowledge creation, innovation, and organizational agility. Meanwhile, collaborative knowledge creation has no significant impact on organizational agility. Furthermore, strategic flexibility was not a moderating variable of the relationship between innovation and organizational agility. Based on these findings, this study produced recommendations for managers to strengthen organizational agility.

Juxtaposing generic skills development in collaborative knowledge work competences and related pedagogical practices in higher education

This study employs the term knowledge work competence to address generic aspects of higher education graduates’ expected learning outcomes. Twenty-eight higher education courses were investigated: 1069 students responded to the Collaborative Knowledge Practices (CKP) questionnaire to rate their self-evaluated competence development. From the same courses, 56 teachers provided descriptions of the course pedagogical practices. First, students’ self-reported generic collaboration competence gains were analyzed statistically for differences between courses. Second, qualitative categorization of the pedagogical practices based on rich description of pedagogical designs and teachers’ reflective responses was carried out. This offered a categorization with elaborated descriptions and a clustering to three types of enacted pedagogical practices. Finally, the study juxtaposed these previous two results to investigate how the pedagogical features were related to students’ self-evaluations on collaboration competence gains. The findings highlighted one cluster of pedagogical practices, collaborative knowledge creation with systematic support for epistemic and group work, as most beneficial for student competence gains. In it, professional ways of working were explicitly modeled and practiced, teacher support for knowledge creation during contact teaching was available, and time was reserved for reflection with students. Such pedagogical practices are important to ensure graduates’ fluent transition to complex knowledge work.

Oral History, Donor Engagement, and the Cocreation of Knowledge in an Academic Archives

This article examines attempts at the Southwest Collection at Texas Tech University’s Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library (SWC/ SCL), in Lubbock, Texas, to integrate its oral history program into collection acquisition, arrangement, description, and discovery processes. Beginning with the creation of a staff position dedicated to acquisition, and continuing through an evolution of job duties resulting from COVID-19, the SWC’s oral historians now not only facilitate collection acquisition through extensive relationship building but also engage donors during arrangement and description. Such reconceptions have led to new processes and workflows, wherein oral history has become an endeavour of collaborative knowledge creation and an enabler of a more democratic archives.

The impact of intellectual capital on supply chain agility and collaborative knowledge creation in responding to unprecedented pandemic crises

This study explores the relationships between intellectual capital, supply chain agility, collaborative knowledge creation, and corporate sustainability during unprecedented crises such as the COVID-19 epidemic. Data were collected from food and beverages firms and analyzed using Smart-Partial Least Squares (Smart-PLS) structural equation modeling software. The sample consisted of 289 managers, directors, and heads of department. The results reveal that intellectual capital significantly impacts supply chain agility, collaborative knowledge creation, and corporate sustainability. Furthermore, the findings confirm that collaborative knowledge creation and supply chain agility significantly impact corporate sustainability during the COVID-19 crises. This study contributes to the literature on intellectual capital, dynamic capabilities, supply chain management, and knowledge management, and the role of these capabilities in preserving corporate sustainability during unprecedented crises.

Leveraging business intelligence systems to enhance management control and business process performance in the public sector

PurposeRecent research and policy reports indicate public sector organizations struggle to leverage information technology-based performance measurement systems and fail to effectively evaluate performance beyond financial metrics. This study aims to focus on organizational factors that influence the assimilation of business intelligence (BI) systems into integrated management control systems and the corollary impact on improving business process performance within public sector organizations.Design/methodology/approachThe complete Australian client list was acquired from a leading BI vendor; and the authors surveyed all public sector organizations, receiving 226 individual responses representing 160 public sector organizations in Australia. Using latent construct measurement, structural equation modeling (SEM)-partial least squares is used to test the theoretical model.FindingsWhen top management promotes knowledge creation among the organization’s operational level employees and support their activities with strong BI infrastructure, the same knowledge and infrastructure capabilities that are critical to assimilation in private sector hold in the public sector. However, public sector organizations generally have difficulty retaining staff with expertise in new technologies and attracting new innovative staff that can leverage smart systems to effect major change in performance measurement. When top management effectively manages knowledge importation from external entities to counteract deficiencies, public sector organizations effectively assimilate BI knowledge into performance measurement yielding strong process performance.Research limitations/implicationsWhen top management promotes knowledge creation among the organization’s operational level employees and support their activities with strong BI infrastructure, the same knowledge and infrastructure capabilities critical to assimilation in the private sector hold in the public sector. However, public sector organizations generally have difficulty retaining staff with expertise in new technologies and attracting new innovative staff that can leverage smart systems to effect major change in performance measurement. The research extends the theory behind organizational absorptive capacity by highlighting how knowledge importation can be used as an external source facilitating internal knowledge creation. This collaborative knowledge creation leads to affective assimilation of BI technologies and associated performance gains.Practical implicationsThe results provide guidance to public sector organizations that struggle to measure and validate service outcomes under New Public Management regulations and mandates.Originality/valueThe results reveal that consistent with the philosophies behind New Public Management strategies, private sector measures for increasing organizational absorptive capacity can be applied in the public sector. However, knowledge importation appears to be a major catalyst in the public sector where the resources to retain skilled professionals with an ability to leverage contemporary technologies into service performance are often very limited. Top management team knowledge and skills are critical to effectively leveraging these internal and external knowledge creation mechanisms.

Co-creation of knowledge in the urban planning context: The case of participatory planning for transitional social housing in Hong Kong

Drawing on organizational knowledge theory, this paper investigates collaborative knowledge creation for social change in the urban planning context through an in-depth case study of Hong Kong's recent participatory planning exercise for transitional social housing. Using the concept of ‘ba’, the enabling context of knowledge creation, this paper explores how ‘ba’ contributes to or limits participatory planning for social innovation. The study found that while the conversion between tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge in participatory planning takes place in a manner similar to that in organizational knowledge creation, collaborative knowledge creation in planning is largely influenced by the ‘ba’ that has been in place on the city and neighborhood scale for a long time and the availability of capable institutions as knowledge activists. Understanding collaborative knowledge creation in participatory planning from the organizational perspective advances the theoretical discourses to understand the dynamics of the new modes of participatory planning, but also expands the empirical application of organizational theory to the urban context.

Education and training opportunities for local and indigenous social workers: case studies in disability-related fields from an international development perspective

ABSTRACT Many ‘non-professional’ and ‘non-certified’ social workers seem to conduct indigenous social work practices in low- and middle-income countries in Asia. From the perspective of international developmental social work, this case study explores the education and training opportunities for local and indigenous social workers in disability related fields. The data was mainly obtained through field work and practice conducted by the author, whose positionality was considered an international social worker in Sri Lanka and Mongolia. The field data was supplemented by literature. The findings reveal that some local workers in government and non-government sectors, who might not have received professional social work education, engage in practices that can be considered a part of social work using their indigenous and local knowledge and skills. In some cases, these workers also use their knowledge of international concepts and frameworks. Additionally, this study presents some instances of knowledge exchange between domestic and international stakeholders through dialogue-based practices and training in the field. The findings suggest that international social workers are required to explore reflective practice and collaborative knowledge creation with domestic stakeholders, including indigenous social workers and disabled people, through dialogue in the field.

Study on the Relations of Supply Chain Digitization, Flexibility and Sustainable Development—A Moderated Multiple Mediation Model

In the face of an external environment featuring a high level of risk, multiple changes, and high uncertainty, the supply chain’s emergency replenishment, collaborative management, regulation of organic commodity, and low-cost rapid response will promote its’ sustainable growth and development, which is necessary for today’s economic development. The digitization and flexibility of the supply chain are of great value in obtaining the sustainable development of the supply chain. When dealing with an uncertain environment and market risk, current supply chain flexibility not only functions through its internal organizational flexibility, but also through collaborative creation and an extended supply chain network which will proactively form a replenishment supply sub-chain driven by the need for change responsiveness. This article constructs an associated model consisting of digitization, supply chain flexibility, and sustainability using an empirical analysis method to explore the implicit correlation of these factors. The analysis results of the mediating effect model show that both digitization and flexibility have significant positive effects on the sustainable development of the supply chain. Collaborative knowledge creation and supply chain flexibility play multiple mediating roles while market uncertainty positively moderates the impact of supply chain flexibility on supply chain sustainable development.