Collaborative Knowledge Networks Research Articles

Robustness of open source community multi-project knowledge collaboration network based on structural hole theory.

Nodes in the structural hole position play a key role in the multi-project network of the open source community (OSC). This paper studies the robustness of this network based on structural hole theory. First, a semantic-based multi-project KCN is constructed, and four node types are identified: knowledge contribution nodes, knowledge dissemination nodes, structural hole nodes (SHNs) and opinion leader nodes. Second, a robustness analysis model of the edge failures of these four key nodes is constructed. Third, a simulation test is conducted on the proposed model using empirical data from the Local Motors multi-project OSC. The results show that the KCN has the lowest robustness when facing the edge failure of opinion leader nodes, followed by knowledge dissemination nodes, knowledge contribution nodes, SHNs and random nodes. The edge failure of opinion leader nodes causes the lowest network robustness because of the propagation effect of these nodes. Additionally, SHN failure has only a small initial impact on connectivity, whereas knowledge collaboration efficiency decreases rapidly (i.e., the edge failure of SHNs causes the network to enter a state of high connectivity and low efficiency). The proposed model can be used to provide comprehensive and targeted management guidance for OSC development.

The Role of Relationship Quality in Collaborative Knowledge Networks and Organizational Learning in Enhancing the Quality of Hajj Services

The Role of Relationship Quality in Collaborative Knowledge Networks and Organizational Learning in Enhancing the Quality of Hajj Services

Network traits driving knowledge evolution in open collaboration systems.

Network interpretation illuminates our understanding of the dynamic nature of cultural evolution. Guided by cultural evolution theory, this article explores how people collectively develop knowledge through knowledge collaboration network traits. Using network data from 910 artifacts (the WikiProject Aquarium Fishes articles) over 163 weeks, two studies were designed to understand how collaboration network traits drive population and artifact-level knowledge evolution. The first study examines the selection pressure imposed by10 network traits (against 11 content traits) on population-level evolutionary outcomes. While network traits are vital in identifying natural selection pressure, intriguingly, no significant difference was found between network traits and content traits, challenging a recent theory on network-driven evolution. The second study utilizes time series analysis to reveal that three network traits (embeddedness, connectivity, and redundancy) at a prior time predict future artifact development trajectory. This implies that people collectively explore various positions in a potential solution space, suggesting content exploration as a possible explanation of knowledge evolution. In summary, understanding the interplay between network traits and content exploration provides valuable insights into the mechanisms driving knowledge evolution and offers new avenues for future research.

Robustness of Multi-Project Knowledge Collaboration Network in Open Source Community

Multi-project parallelism is an important feature of open source communities (OSCs), and multi-project collaboration among users is a favorable condition for an OSC's development. This paper studies the robustness of this type of community. Based on the characteristics of knowledge collaboration behavior and the large amount of semantic content generated from user collaboration in open source projects, we construct a directed, weighted, semantic-based multi-project knowledge collaboration network. Using analysis of the KCN's structure and user attributes, nodes are divided into knowledge collaboration nodes and knowledge dissemination nodes that participate in either multi- or single-project collaboration. From the perspectives of user churn and behavior degradation, two types of failure modes are constructed: node failure and edge failure. Based on empirical data from the Local Motors open source vehicle design community, we then carry out a dynamic robustness analysis experiment. Our results show that the robustness of our constructed network varies for different failure modes and different node types: the network has (1) a high robustness to random failure and a low robustness to deliberate failure, (2) a high robustness to edge failure and a low robustness to node failure, and (3) a high robustness to the failure of single-project nodes (or their edges) and a low robustness to the failure of multi-project nodes (or their edges). These findings can be used to provide a more comprehensive and targeted management reference, promoting the efficient development of OSCs.

Dynamic Robustness of Semantic-Based Collaborative Knowledge Network of Open Source Project.

Robustness of the collaborative knowledge network (CKN) is critical to the success of open source projects. To study this robustness more comprehensively and accurately, we constructed a weighted CKN based on the semantic analysis of collaborative behavior, where (a) open source designers were the network nodes, (b) collaborative behavior among designers was the edges, and (c) collaborative text content intensity and collaborative frequency intensity were the edge weights. To study the robustness from a dynamic viewpoint, we constructed three CKNs from different stages of the project life cycle: the start-up, growth and maturation stages. The connectivity and collaboration efficiency of the weighted network were then used as robustness evaluation indexes. Further, we designed four edge failure modes based on the behavioral characteristics of open source designers. Finally, we carried out dynamic robustness analysis experiments based on the empirical data of a Local Motors open source car design project. Our results showed that the CKN performed differently at different stages of the project life cycle, and our specific findings could help community managers of open source projects to formulate different network protection strategies at different stages of their projects.

Network structures of in-service teachers’ collective knowledge construction: An SNA analysis of multiliteracies online course

ABSTRACT Multiliteracies is not only concerned with learners’ meaning-making using multiple communication and representation channels but with individuals’ contributions towards a collaborative and participatory culture. However, understanding collective knowledge construction in computer-mediated discussions is challenging due to large and complex digital texts in online contexts. To respond to this challenge, this study investigated the relationships between network structures and potentials for collaborative knowledge construction in a 12-week online multiliteracies professional education course by adopting Knowledge Society Network and Collaborative Knowledge Networks as analytical frameworks and using Social Network Analysis to find which network models the online course followed. Consequently, the network of teacher participants’ interactions showed high participant interaction and low idea interaction. Further discussion of the findings and future study will be described.

Robustness of open source product innovation community’s knowledge collaboration network under the dynamic environment

As a complex system with open characteristics, the open source product innovation community is often subjected to failures and attacks, and the users in the community are often in a state of frequent change and mass loss. In this paper, we use complex network analysis techniques to describe the complex system as a knowledge collaboration network. We discuss how the network’s structural robustness and functional robustness changes during the three stages of network development (i.e. the start-up, growth and maturation stages) for different user loss patterns (i.e. one random user loss pattern and two deliberate user loss patterns) under the dynamic environment. We find that the structural robustness is significantly higher when the network faces random user loss than when it faces deliberate user loss for all three network development stages. In contrast, the functional robustness is higher when the network faces random user loss than when it faces deliberate user loss only for the network’s start-up stage, not its growth and maturation stages. Based on the robustness results, we provide intervention and incentive strategies to prevent user loss for all three stages of an open source product innovation community’s network development. More importantly, we contribute a new approach for systematically analyzing the robustness of the open source product innovation community under the dynamic reality environment.

Knowledge networks, collaboration networks, and innovation: a replication and extension

Knowledge networks, collaboration networks, and innovation: a replication and extension

“M@dNotes Project”. Giving colour to Grey Literature

Sharing the results of research and scientific production is crucial for the survival and development of all disciplines. Health information is becoming uncertain and powerful economic interests disrupting medical information has triggered a loss of credibility. M@dNotes project (in Spanish NotasL@cas), is the by-product of nonprofit collaborative international knowledge network with participation of students, general practitioners, family physicians, and healthcare workers. One of the aims of this network is to discuss the validity of the information available on sensitive subjects and build a knowledge exchange network inside a community of practice. It has been created to share different materials excluded from traditional academic publishing and commercial distribution channels: monographic reports, commented articles, files with references searches. These materials product of learning process are qualified with an appropriate level because there were submitted to a peer review or judged by a scientific committee to get an approval. Includes an indexing method (Q Codes and ICPC) to manage and retrieve the materials received. The project provides a particular folder to upload and share the documents. A web blog is the dissemination friendly tool or interface to share and retrieve the documents available in the network. Through a facility in the cloud, it is possible to access an excel file with all the materials shared, codes assigned and the hyperlink to get a pdf file of each material.

Role of Collaborative Knowledge Networks in the Brazilian Sugar-Energy Sector

This paper analyzes the role of collaborative knowledge networks in the Brazilian sugar and ethanol industry, in terms of strategic advantage, economic gain and global competitiveness, notwithstanding the risks inherent to the common use of knowledge produced by partners, companies, and other institutions related to the network. In this sense, this paper analyzed the role of the Interuniversity Network for the Development of the Sugar-Energy Sector (RIDESA) in the development, launching, registration and commercialization of new sugarcane cultivars, in Brazil, highlighting two innovation statistical indicators: Varietal Update Index (IAV); and, Varietal Concentration Index (ICV). In this study, we performed statistical analyzes of production data, planted area and sugarcane productivity in Brazil, between 2005 and 2018, conducting tests in historical series of the National Supply Company (CONAB). As a result of the preliminary theoretical analyzes, it can be understood that the collaborative knowledge networks, as a model of network innovation, is a trend that is established in the present, notwithstanding the risks of knowledge shared by the organizations, appearing as an important area of research in the field of intellectual property.

The Role of Universities in Inter-organizational Knowledge Collaborations

Organizations collaborate with external actors in order to acquire knowledge resources they cannot develop internally for economic and/or technical reasons. Mode 2 and Triple Helix models have examined the role of different organizational types in collaborative creation and knowledge use. This paper is an empirical investigation on whether universities differ from business-oriented or industrial organization types with regard to the extent of their knowledge collaborations. Using SEM methodology, it demonstrates the role of universities in knowledge collaboration through a survey of 472 organizations in the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development of the European Commission, Energy theme (FP7-Energy). In line with the Triple Helix model, universities are found to exhibit more extensive knowledge collaboration than businesses. Also, between-university collaborations are found to be more extensive knowledge collaboration relationship types than between-business relationships. The findings imply that (1) publically funded consortia should be aware that universities are more conducive and hence more effective in inter-organizational knowledge collaboration networks than other organizational types, particularly compared to for-profit business organizations. Universities should be included in these consortia. (2) Business organizations that do not have an extensive relationship with universities need to reconsider their partner portfolio and extend the knowledge collaboration of their network by connecting to more universities.(3) Policymakers should not only involve academic organizations but also include groups of more than one university per consortium to enable between-university knowledge collaboration to boost collaborative knowledge exploration and exploitation of the consortia.

Dynamic robustness of knowledge collaboration network of open source product development community

As an emergent innovative design style, open source product development communities are characterized by a self-organizing, mass collaborative, networked structure. The robustness of the community is critical to its performance. Using the complex network modeling method, the knowledge collaboration network of the community is formulated, and the robustness of the network is systematically and dynamically studied. The characteristics of the network along the development period determine that its robustness should be studied from three time stages: the start-up, development and mature stages of the network. Five kinds of user-loss pattern are designed, to assess the network’s robustness under different situations in each of these three time stages. Two indexes – the largest connected component and the network efficiency – are used to evaluate the robustness of the community. The proposed approach is applied in an existing open source car design community. The results indicate that the knowledge collaboration networks show different levels of robustness in different stages and different user loss patterns. Such analysis can be applied to provide protection strategies for the key users involved in knowledge dissemination and knowledge contribution at different stages of the network, thereby promoting the sustainable and stable development of the open source community.

Measurement of knowledge diffusion efficiency for the weighted knowledge collaboration networks

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a valid and quantitative measurement method of knowledge diffusion efficiency for the knowledge collaboration networks (KCNs).Design/methodology/approachThis paper builds a weighted KCN model with the node and edge weights. Based on the weighted KCN, the factors of knowledge diffusion efficiency are proposed and analyzed. Then, the knowledge transfer effect between two nodes is proposed and measured by comprehensively integrating the above factors. Furthermore, the main metric of efficiency of knowledge diffusion is proposed by modifying Latora and Marchiori’s model of efficiency of network.FindingsA case is studied to illustrate the applicability of the proposed weighted network model and the knowledge diffusion efficiency measurement method. The results show the methods proposed in this paper can better measure and analyze the knowledge diffusion efficiency of KCNs than the traditional un-weighted methods and the subjective evaluation methods.Originality/valueThe real KCNs are always weighted networks. The weighted model of KCN can better reflect the real networks than the un-weighted model. Based on the weighted networks, the measurement methods proposed in this paper can more efficiently and accurately measure and evaluate the knowledge diffusion efficiency than the traditional methods. This study can help researchers to better understand knowledge diffusion theoretically, and provide managers with a decision support for knowledge management in practice.

The Effect of Industrial Cluster Policy on Firm Performance in Ethiopia: Evidence from the Leather Footware Cluster

This paper empirically analyzes the productivity, profitability, innovation and network effects of a public policy promoting micro and small scale industrial clusters in Ethiopia. To this end, firm-level survey data was collected from randomly selected clustered leather shoe manufacturers that have directly benefited from the policy and those that do not, both before and after the cluster policy intervention. The results from econometric analysis suggests that the industrial cluster policy adversely impacts the productivity, profitability, growth, and innovation performance of the small and micro leather shoe manufacturing enterprises that moved to the government created clusters. The analysis of the transmission mechanism further reveals that the relocated cluster policy hampers the treated firms’ collaborative business and knowledge network and aggravates their growth impediments which includes lack of trust, high customer and supplier search and reach cost, lack of market information, imperfect contract enforcement, delays in the supply of raw materials and the lack of skilled labor. The time lag between policy implementation and its impacts may conceal the long-term impact of the cluster policy. The overwhelming majority of the representatives of treatment group firms also continue to believe that their business performance will improve over time as a result of their participation in the MSE cluster development program. This study is a pioneer to quantitatively evaluate the productivity, profitability, innovation and network effect of industrial cluster policy in Ethiopia.

Analysing the Viability of Business Networks in Multinational Organisations: A Case Study of the Aerospace and Defence Industry

This paper outlines ways of increasing the productivity and performance of organisational networks within multinational corporations. It explores their heterogeneous knowledge structures, while analysing their strengths and weaknesses. The research examines the collaborative knowledge networks of one of the largest multinational defence and aerospace organisations in the world and adopts an interpretivist philosophy, using a qualitative research methodology. This study argues that, both informal and formal business networks should be supported by management to enhance knowledge sharing between different groups within multinational organisations. It also argues that, knowledge sharing policies should be reviewed on an on-going basis in order to create a robust network of networks while acknowledging the importance of smaller and more isolated knowledge exchange communities.

Local Governments in Multilevel Systems

In this article, the local government (LG) administrative implications of the movement from government to governance, involving multiple ties and externalized services operations, are examined from a cross-national perspective. Derived from a series of studies of LGs in multilevel systems, this article examines key patterns of cross-agency administration. First, administrative intergovernmental relations (IGR) are defined. Then common trends in local governments in their IGR arenas are identified. Next, changing managerial paradigms in outward as well as inward directions are introduced. Then a series of managerial challenges, including system development, IGR politics, collaborative knowledge development, network management, and interoperability are introduced. A research agenda for multilevel system local governments in IGR in the governance era concludes the article.

A General Framework for a Collaborative Water Quality Knowledge and Information Network

Increasing knowledge about the environment has brought about a better understanding of the complexity of the issues, and more information publicly available has resulted into a steady shift from centralized decision making to increasing levels of participatory processes. The management of that information, in turn, is becoming more complex. One of the ways to deal with the complexity is the development of tools that would allow all players, including managers, researchers, educators, stakeholders and the civil society, to be able to contribute to the information system, in any level they are inclined to do so. In this project, a search for the available technology for collaboration, methods of community filtering, and community-based review was performed and the possible implementation of these tools to create a general framework for a collaborative "Water Quality Knowledge and Information Network" was evaluated. The main goals of the network are to advance water quality education and knowledge; encourage distribution and access to data; provide networking opportunities; allow public perceptions and concerns to be collected; promote exchange of ideas; and, give general, open, and free access to information. A reference implementation was made available online and received positive feedback from the community, which also suggested some possible improvements.

Dynamics Modeling and Simulation of System Catastrophe in Knowledge Collaboration Complexity Network

Knowledge collaboration network is a kind of complexity network. System catastrophe phenomenon will appear in the knowledge collaboration complexity network in some condition, and the whole system will became lowefficiency or inefficiency. Based on the analysis of catastrophe phenomenon in the knowledge collaboration complexity network, this paper proposed a catastrophe model. Using with the dynamics simulation tool VERSIM, a dynamics model of catastrophe phenomenon in the knowledge collaboration complexity network is built. Moreover, some simulation results is given, which disposed some reasons of catastrophe phenomenon in the knowledge collaboration complexity network.

Collaborative innovation networks, virtual communities and geographical clustering

This paper describes the emergence of collaborative knowledge networks (CKNs), distributed communities taking advantage of the wide connectivity and the support of communication technologies, spanning beyond the organisational perimeter of companies on a global scale. CKNs are made up of groups of self-motivated individuals, linked by the idea of something new and exciting and by the common goal of improving existing business practices, new products or services for which they see a real need. Their strength is related to their ability to activate creative collaboration, knowledge sharing and social networking mechanisms, affecting positively individual capabilities and organisations' performance. We describe the case of a global consulting community to highlight the cultural and structural aspects of this phenomenon. Our case study also illustrates the composition of the CKN ecosystem, which are made up by a combination of collaborative innovation, learning and interest networks. Empirical evidence suggests physical proximity as a supporting success factor of such communities, depending on the capital and knowledge intensity of the target industry.

The Chronicles of Me: Understanding Blogging as a Religious Practice

Blogs represent an especially interesting site of online religious communication. Analysis of the content of 200 blogs with mentions of topics related to Christianity, as well as interviews of a subset of these bloggers, suggests that blogs provide an integrative experience for the faithful, not a “third place,” but a melding of the personal and the communal, the sacred and the profane. Religious bloggers operate outside the realm of the conventional nuclear church as they connect and link to mainstream news sites, other nonreligious blogs, and online collaborative knowledge networks such as Wikipedia. By chronicling how they experience faith in their everyday lives, these bloggers aim to communicate not only to their communities and to a wider public but also to themselves. This view of blogging as a contemplative religious experience differs from the popular characterization of blogging as a trivial activity.