Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


case1057249720.pdf (4.25 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Social contexts that facilitate knowledge development in multidisciplinary research projects

Gurley, Kathleen Rees
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1057249720

Abstract Details

1994, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Organizational Behavior.
This study investigates the social contexts that support knowledge development in multidisciplinary pharmaceutical research projects. Knowledge development is studied as an interactive process among individuals involving debate, clarification and shared sense making. Three levels of knowledge development are described: (1) limited information sharing, (2) specialized, aggregate knowledge, and (3) synergistic, collective knowledge. The results indicate that the social context either facilitates or retards project teams' ability to move to the second and third level of knowledge development. This research shows that when social contexts are perceived as threatening, individuals are likely to use organizational boundaries to justify defensive behaviors which protect or enhance self esteem. Two boundaries used as defense mechanisms were described: the role/expertise boundary among team members and the boundary between project teams and management. These boundaries operate on three dimensions: representative, behavioral and evaluative. Previous research has pointed out how changes in the first two dimensions such as redefining departmental boundaries, co-location or out-of-role behaviors, can reduce or eliminate the affect of the organiz ational boundary on knowledge work. This research contributes by expanding our understanding of the importance of the evaluative dimension. The results demonstrate that the nature of attributions (evaluative dimension) made toward another person or group affects the interaction (behavioral dimension); and therefore, impacts the potential for knowledge development. Factors in the social context that facilitate knowledge development were also identified. The survey analysis demonstrated that there is a positive relationship between organization based self esteem and comfort among team members in expressing disagreement and project productivity. This relationship, in context with the qualitative data collected, strongly suggests that when team members feel valued in the organization, they will be less likely to experience disagreement as a threat or an attack on self esteem. A similar finding occurred at the team-management boundary. The overall findings imply that transitions to higher levels of knowledge development depend on reducing the psychological distance between individuals. Positive attributions and appreciating each other's reality contributes to transforming individual meaning systems into a shared meaning system. As individuals find greater psychological and ontological security in the collective meaning system, threats to self esteem fade into the background.
Ronald Fry (Advisor)
253 p.
Social contexts facilitate knowledge development multidisciplinary research projects

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Gurley, K. R. (1994). Social contexts that facilitate knowledge development in multidisciplinary research projects [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1057249720

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Gurley, Kathleen. Social contexts that facilitate knowledge development in multidisciplinary research projects. 1994. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1057249720.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Gurley, Kathleen. "Social contexts that facilitate knowledge development in multidisciplinary research projects." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 1994. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1057249720

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1057249720
482
© 1994, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.