Department of Information Science

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Browsing Department of Information Science by Author "Anastasiadis, Philip Andrew"

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    Knowledge creation within geographically dispersed organisations : collocation from a sensemaking perspective
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012-12) Anastasiadis, Philip Andrew; Maasdorp, Christiaan Hendrik; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Information Science.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates the question of organisational knowledge creation in geographically dispersed settings. In Chapter 1, I describe Nonaka’s model of organisational knowledge creation and Weick’s theory of organisational sensemaking in more detail. In Chapter 2, the geographically dispersed organisation is examined in more detail, looking at socialisation, organisational culture and trust. In Chapter 3, communication dynamics within the geographically dispersed organisation are examined, with a focus on Media Richness Theory and the impact this has had on theories of communication across distance. In Chapter 4, the organisation is examined at the level of the team, discussing real world examples of dispersed knowledge creation from the knowledge management and sensemaking perspective, using research on globally dispersed software development teams practicing the Scrum methodology. The thesis comes to the conclusion that it is possible for knowledge creation to occur amongst geographically dispersed individuals, if they have learned how to make sense together. However shared frameworks are quicker and easier to develop in face-to-face settings, but as soon as the basis for it exists, the influence of geographic dispersal is reduced.