Knowledge Integration Processes Research Articles

Measuring prevalence of other-oriented transactive contributions using an automated measure of speech style accommodation

This paper contributes to a theory-grounded methodological foundation for automatic collaborative learning process analysis. It does this by illustrating how insights from the social psychology and sociolinguistics of speech style provide a theoretical framework to inform the design of a computational model. The purpose of that model is to detect prevalence of an important group knowledge integration process in raw speech data. Specifically, this paper focuses on assessment of transactivity in dyadic discussions, where a transactive contribution is operationalized as one where reasoning is made explicit, and where that reasoning builds on a prior reasoning statement within the discussion. Transactive contributions can be either self-oriented, where the contribution builds on the speaker’s own prior contribution, or other-oriented, where the contribution builds on a prior contribution of a conversational partner. Other-oriented transacts are particularly central to group knowledge integration processes. An unsupervised Dynamic Bayesian Network model motivated by concepts from Speech Accommodation Theory is presented and then evaluated on the task of estimating prevalence of other-oriented transacts in dyadic discussions. The evaluation demonstrates a significant positive correlation between an automatic measure of speech style accommodation and prevalence of other-oriented transacts (R = .36, p < .05).

Study on Knowledge Integration Contents and Process in Organization Based Knowledge Innovation

Knowledge integration played a major and centre role in the process of organizations knowledge innovation. Study on the knowledge integration contents and process in organization has important significance. There are four contents of knowledge integration in organization knowledge innovation: knowledge integration between different knowledge main bodies; different knowledge levels; the new and original knowledge system; personal study, team study and organization study. The paper discussed the process of knowledge integration toward organization knowledge innovation based on lify-cycle theory and divided the process into four stages: embryonic stage, development stage, mature stage and diffusion stage. The paper analyzed the knowledge value in different life cycle stages and the result indicates that the knowledge in mature stage is the most valuable.

Knowledge Flow Rules of Modern Design under Distributed Resource Environment

The process of modern design under the distributed resource environment is interpreted as the process of knowledge flow and integration. As the acquisition of new knowledge strongly depends on resources, knowledge flow can be influenced by technical, economic, and social relation factors, and so forth. In order to achieve greater efficiency of knowledge flow and make the product more competitive, the root causes of the above factors should be acquired first. In this paper, the authors attempt to reveal the nature of design knowledge flow from the perspectives of fluid dynamics and energy. The knowledge field effect and knowledge agglomeration effect are analyzed, respectively, in which the knowledge field effect model considering single task node and the single knowledge energy model in the knowledge flow are established, then the general expression of knowledge energy conservation with consideration of the kinetic energy and potential energy of knowledge is built. Then, the knowledge flow rules and their influential factors including complete transfer and incomplete transfer of design knowledge are studied. Finally, the coupling knowledge flows in the knowledge service platform for modern design are analyzed to certify the feasibility of the research work.

Knowledge Integration While Interacting with an Online Troubleshooting Activity

A troubleshooting activity was carried out by an e-tutor in two steps. First, students diagnosed a mistaken statement and then compared their diagnosis to a teacher’s diagnosis provided by the e-tutor. The mistaken statement involved a widespread tendency to over-generalize Ohm’s law. We studied the discourse between pairs of students working with the e-tutor to examine whether and how the activity attained its objective of engaging students in knowledge integration processes; namely to elicit students’ ideas, add scientifically acceptable or non-acceptable ideas and support them in developing criteria to sort out their ideas. We focus here on two case studies involving a pair of students with high prior knowledge and a pair with poor prior knowledge. The micro-analysis of these two pairs shows how the activity triggered students to explicate multiple alternative interpretations of the principles and concepts involved and attempts to align conflicting conceptions. We discuss how successive emendations gradually culminated in the elaboration of the students’ understanding of these concepts.

Mobile Engineers and the Mastering of Participation In Knowledge Integration Processes

Much recent research has emphasized the criticality of knowledge integration for the development of new products, services, and organizational capabilities. Knowledge integration has been studied a...

Development of design collaboration skills

This paper aims to advance our conceptual understanding of design collaboration, a domain-specific subset of collaboration skills that emphasises knowledge-sharing and knowledge-integration processes. This paper explores how design collaboration skills develop along with design expertise across three stages of experience. First-year bachelor students, master students, and design professionals took part in a design game to investigate their design collaboration skills. We assessed their design collaboration skills by analysing their sessions for the degree and quality of knowledge sharing and integration using a reflective practice analysis and an interpretative analysis of their conversation. It was found that the first-year bachelor students and the professionals outperformed the master students in terms of collaborative design performance. In finding this nonlinear relationship, we highlight the need to distinguish between design expertise and design collaboration skills and to treat them as independent concepts when assessing design team performance. Finally, through an interpretive analysis, we developed a typology of design collaboration approaches at the three stages of experience.

Beyond cross-functional teams: knowledge integration during organizational projects and the role of social capital

Large organizational projects must integrate the specific and dispersed knowledge of many individuals and groups to succeed. Thus, frequent exchanges between the project team and the organization's members are required. In this context, understanding of the knowledge integration process during cross-functional projects can be enhanced through the conceptual framework of social capital. A qualitative investigation of a French small firm conceptualizes knowledge integration as a three-phase model: collection, interpretation, and assimilation. The case shows that the integration process is cyclical with overlaps and inter-dependencies among the phases. This study leads to refinement of the social capital role in knowledge integration and reveals the dynamics of internal and external facets of social capital. That is, internal and external social capital play differentiated roles depending on the three phases of the knowledge integration process. Finally, the study reveals the co-evolution of social capital and knowledge integration as a resulting long-term effect.

Enabling knowledge integration in coopetitive R&D projects — The management of conflicting logics

This paper addresses the issue of how knowledge integration can be managed in coopetitive R&D projects. The findings from this study imply that knowledge integration in a coopetitive R&D project is not built on shared knowledge or a shared understanding of the content of project work but that knowledge integration is enabled by a shared understanding of the process of project work. Such understanding can be established by the use of mechanisms such as planning and process specification and presentation genres. These mechanisms support the process of knowledge integration while simultaneously putting constraints on what knowledge is exchanged and they can structure discussions when face-to-face communication takes place. The findings further suggest that, to avoid unintended knowledge leakages, individual and collective settings of project work should be clearly separated such that problem solving stays an individual activity while decision making still rests with the project team as a collective activity.

Knowledge integration process in construction projects: a social network analysis approach to compare competitive and collaborative working

Research on knowledge integration across organizational boundaries is still very limited because of the assumption that knowledge is a critical asset, which should be secured within organizational boundaries. A variety of knowledge management frameworks have presented the same common characteristics, including information sharing as the basis for knowledge management, a supportive culture, trust and proximity. Social network analysis is used to examine the knowledge integration process in collaborative and competitive working systems on four case study projects based on public sector organizations. This involved shadowing participants and conducting interviews. Participants were selected from a set of functional teams according to their role. Five participants were interviewed from each project in order to check the validity and reliability of the data. The knowledge integration patterns are presented by quantitative methods using the social network analysis approach.

Study on Safety Risk Identification System (SRIS) for Metro Construction

Metro construction is gradually moving into high gear in China. However, safety incidents in metro projects have occurred frequently in recent years. Risk identification is crucial to safe construction. In order to solve problems in the current approach of risk identification, such as too much reliance on expert participation, low efficiency and so on. Safety Risk Identification System (SRIS), a combination of expert system technology and risk identification method, is researched and developed for metro construction. Through the knowledge integration process, fragmented and dispersed experiential knowledge in risk identification field on metro construction, is changed into rule base which can be directly invoked. By this way, SRIS helps realize knowledge sharing as well as risk identification automation, with important practical significance for safe construction nowadays.

Study on Safety Risk Identification System (SRIS) for Metro Construction

Metro construction is gradually moving into high gear in China. However, safety incidents in metro projects have occurred frequently in recent years. Risk identification is crucial to safe construction. In order to solve problems in the current approach of risk identification, such as too much reliance on expert participation, low efficiency and so on. Safety Risk Identification System (SRIS), a combination of expert system technology and risk identification method, is researched and developed for metro construction. Through the knowledge integration process, fragmented and dispersed experiential knowledge in risk identification field on metro construction, is changed into rule base which can be directly invoked. By this way, SRIS helps realize knowledge sharing as well as risk identification automation, with important practical significance for safe construction nowadays.

Wissensintegration in der transdisziplinären Nachhaltigkeitsforschung. Eine Fallstudie zur Anpassung an zunehmende Starkniederschläge in urbanen RäumenKnowledge Integration in Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research. A Case Study on Adaptation to Increasing Torrential Rains in Urban Areas

Transdisciplinary sustainability research on adaption to increasing torrential rains in urban areas requires integration of two kinds of knowledge: First, scientific knowledge in environmental engineering, environmental psychology, and urban and spatial planning; secondly, practical know-how of various stakeholders such as municipalities and companies as well as citizens. Knowledge integration is one of the most important challenges of transdisciplinary research. This article exemplifies the process of transdisciplinary knowledge integration using a case study on water sensitive urban planning that aims at implementing strategies to protect urban living areas and infrastructure from flooding due to heavy precipitations. Five steps can be identified to characterize the process of knowledge integration to develop a concept of water sensitive urban planning. The results show that increasing torrential rains cannot be handled by conventional measures applied separately, but by a combination of measures. Finally, the process of knowledge integration is evaluated in respect to central analytical dimensions in the philosophy of science.

Combining Master and Apprentice Roles: Potential for Learning in Distributed Manufacturing Networks

The purpose of this paper is to explore possible effects for learning when a manufacturing plant takes a double role, as being both master plant and apprentice plant, in a globally distributed industrialization process. Industrialization is here understood as the process of preparing new products for volume manufacturing. Two research questions are addressed. The first is what characterizes the dual roles. The second concerns how the dual roles affect knowledge integration and learning processes, and whether this arrangement facilitates learning between master and apprentice. Based on a study of a global telecom equipment company, the paper provides insights into some of the challenges and effects of dynamic switching of roles. By separating the network function from the strategic role of the plant, the study identifies four options for learning. The case adds to the literature on learning in manufacturing networks and to previous research on how distributed processes affect innovation capability.

The effect of researchers' interdisciplinary characteristics on team innovation performance: evidence from university R&D teams in China

This study examines the effect of researchers' characteristics on the performance of R&D teams. Based on the multi-perspective of organization behavior and knowledge management, the authors adopt the framework of ‘Input-Process-Output’ regarding the process of the R&D team as knowledge creation. The theoretical model and corresponding hypotheses were tested empirically, drawing on a sample of 80 R&D teams from four universities in China. We concluded that knowledge communication, sharing, and integration play very important mediated roles in the knowledge creation process of the R&D team. Though researchers might have differing opinions on interdisciplinary research, they still tend toward communication and sharing their knowledge, experience, and viewpoints in the R&D process; this is an essential means for the achievement of knowledge integration. In order to achieve high innovation performance, management should pay attention to the process of knowledge communication, sharing, and integration.

Relational effects on knowledge integration: the differential effects on search and transfer

The paper investigates the effect of homophily and status differences on knowledge integration among individuals involved in product development activities. By distinguishing between search and transfer as two integral parts of the knowledge integration process, the paper addresses the question of how cognitive and motivational barriers to knowledge integration operate differently through the search and the transfer processes respectively. A study of 434 knowledge integration activities among 49 participants in four software development teams suggests that while search is directed both by homophily and by status differences among team participants, only status differences affect the perceived value of knowledge transfer activities. Further, the study indicates that there is not necessarily a correspondence between the status cues that direct search activities and the status cues that drive the perceived value of knowledge transfer activities among team participants.

Interdisciplinary knowledge integration through group model building: recognizing dualities and triadizing the conversation

As part of the inquiry into managing an interdisciplinary research process on adaptive water governance, we investigated the process of group model building (GMB) and, more specifically, the role of Unified Modeling Language (UML) in this process. An analysis of group interaction reveals several tensions in the process of knowledge integration, which can be grouped into three overarching dualities: ‘simplicity versus complexity’, ‘constraining versus containing’ and ‘defining versus refining’. As group members take different positions with regard to these dualities, these represent sources of tension and potential ‘stuckness’ of the GMB. Hence the question arises how the group can manage duality in ways that take the GMB beyond its opposing forces. We suggest that knowledge integration processes may benefit from early recognition of the dualities at hand and strategies aimed at creating ‘thirdness’, including some suggestions on the concrete forms such ‘thirdness’ may take.

Integrating local and scientific knowledge for environmental management

This paper evaluates the processes and mechanisms available for integrating different types of knowledge for environmental management. Following a review of the challenges associated with knowledge integration, we present a series of questions for identifying, engaging, evaluating and applying different knowledges during project design and delivery. These questions are used as a basis to compare three environmental management projects that aimed to integrate knowledge from different sources in the United Kingdom, Solomon Islands and Australia. Comparative results indicate that integrating different types of knowledge is inherently complex – classification of knowledge is arbitrary and knowledge integration perspectives are qualitatively very different. We argue that there is no single optimum approach for integrating local and scientific knowledge and encourage a shift in science from the development of knowledge integration products to the development of problem-focussed, knowledge integration processes. These processes need to be systematic, reflexive and cyclic so that multiple views and multiple methods are considered in relation to an environmental management problem. The results have implications for the way in which researchers and environmental managers undertake and evaluate knowledge integration projects.

The role of integrative capabilities in involving suppliers in New Product Development: a knowledge integration perspective

Early Supplier Involvement (ESI) aims to facilitate New Product Development (NPD) success and create competitive advantage for the purchasing firm. Unfortunately, empirical results are inconsistent in verifying the linkage between ESI and NPD success. To solve this paradox, this paper views ESI as a knowledge integration process and examines the role of the purchasing firm's integrative capabilities in the process. Competing models are proposed and tested. The results demonstrate that NPD success depends not only on the supplier's knowledge and expertise, but also on the purchasing firm's integrative capabilities to absorb knowledge and increase efficiency of knowledge integration.

Empirical Study of Knowledge Fusion Process within Chinese High-Tech Industry Clusters Based on Information Fusion Method

In order to consider the future development of high-tech industry clusters, this paper applies an evolution perspective to look into the knowledge integration process from both local and global knowledge linkages of entrepreneurs within the industry cluster. This paper has established a model to explore the entrepreneur's knowledge spillover and diffusion process which promotes the high-technology industry cluster's technology upgrading. Analysis is based on data from questionnaires and interviews with 182 entrepreneurs in the Dongwan software high-tech industry cluster of Guangdong, China. Using the information fusion method the study analyses the distinction of high-tech industry clusters between developing countries and developed countries based on the survey, and found that the knowledge integration process has tremendous influence on industry cluster development, and the co-existence of both high levels of local and global knowledge linkages can greatly affect entrepreneur development and the possibility for the cluster to undertake transformation.

The emergence of interdisciplinary knowledge in problem‐focused research

In this paper I explore the specific properties associated with the new knowledge produced by inter‐ or transdisciplinary research. Using my analysis of a land use planning study in the Meuse valley in The Netherlands, I argue that the process of knowledge integration requires the exercise of value judgement and that the outcomes are emergent. I also show that the selection of a boundary object as objective facilitates interdisciplinary research because it is shared amongst disciplines and because it necessitates judgement in its implementation.