To Share or Not to Share: Consequential Impacts of IT Support on the Knowledge Processes of IT Project Teams

This study is a methodological replication of Choi et al.\u27s (2010) study that examines individuals’ perceptions of team interaction for knowledge sharing and application to accomplish team goals. Choi et al. (2010) explain the impact of information technologies (IT) on the development of transactive memory systems on the promotion of knowledge management practices and, consequently, on team performance. The original study reveals that knowledge sharing does not have a direct impact on team performance. The current study methodologically replicates Choi et al.’s (2010) research in the context of IT project teams. Two identified potential differentiating contexts are (1) the contemporary IT capable of supporting knowledge management practices may have evolved into more sophisticated technologies compared to those that existed during the time the original study was conducted, and (2) the sample of individuals in this study specifically worked with IT project teams instead of more generic knowledge-based teams in an organization. In this replication study, we examined whether the hypotheses still hold at the individual level of analysis. Scrutinizing knowledge processes while accounting for the above-mentioned differences may help us understand better IT project team performance, and consequently, increase the likelihood of IT project success

The role of transactive memory systems, psychological safety and interpersonal conflict in hospital team performance

Safe patient care in hospitals relies on teamwork. Transactive Memory Systems (TMS), are shared cognitive systems that have been linked to team performance in other domains, but have received little attention in healthcare. This study investigated the role of TMS, psychological safety and interpersonal conflict in predicting team performance in hospital ward teams where team membership is dynamic and often loosely defined. Hospital staff (n = 106) in four wards completed a battery of instruments assessing team performance, TMS, psychological safety and interpersonal conflict. TMS was a weak predictor of team performance, but the relationship was mediated by psychological safety. Overall, team performance was predicted by high psychological safety, low interpersonal conflict and low reliance on team members' knowledge (i.e. TMS credibility). These findings suggest that, in hospital teams, TMS is not a strong predictor of team performance but team culture is critical to ensure the quality and safety of patient care. Practitioner Summary: This study investigated the role of Transactive Memory Systems (TMS) and cultural factors in hospital team performance. Team performance was predicted by psychological safety, low interpersonal conflict and a low reliance on team members' untested knowledge. This highlights the importance of a supportive team culture for safe care in hospitals

What Makes a Helpful Online Review When Information Overload Exists?

With the increasing of online reviews, information overload has become a major problem in online community. What makes a helpful online review when information overload exists? In this study, the research model is developed to examine the helpfulness of online consumer reviews when information overload exists. Information quality is measured by review length and pictures in the model. The result is showed the relationship between review length and review helpfulness is usually described as an inverted U curve. The impact of review length and picture review on helpfulness is stronger when information overload exists. The impact of is also stronger with negative reviews than without negative reviews. As a result, our findings help extend the literature on information diagnosticity within the context of information overload

Heart rate reading patterns at moment of information overload during online information searching

Users are confronted with information overload when searching for information in virtual libraries. Studies claim that information overload leads to changes in the physiological signals of an individual which later results in decreased efficiency in information processing. There is a strong perception that when something changes, there is a moment in which the change occurs. The primary purpose of this research is to detect an indication at the moment of change occurring when searching in virtual libraries by focusing on the pattern reflected in physiological data that can potentially be used as a signal to convey information overload. This study adopted user test methods and methods from psychophysiology.The results from quantitative analysis were presented through graphs and tables.The results indicated that heart rate measurement was the best measure compared to other physiological measurements and the underlying pattern signalling information overload was presented in the form of a matrix. Recommendations for future work include using the pattern to design an application to monitor information load in individuals

Preliminary analysis of wireless collaborative network on mobile devices

Users are confronted with information overload when searching for information in virtual libraries. Studies claim that information overload leads to changes in the physiological signals of an individual which later results in decreased efficiency in information processing.There is a strong perception that when something changes, there is a moment in which the change occurs.The primary purpose of this research is to detect an indication at the moment of change occurring when searching in virtual libraries by focusing on the pattern reflected in physiological data that can potentially be used as a signal to convey information overload. This study adopted user test methods and methods from psychophysiology. The results from quantitative analysis were presented through graphs and tables. The results indicated that heart rate measurement was the best measure compared to other physiological measurements and the underlying pattern signalling information overload was presented in the form of a matrix. Recommendations for future work include using the pattern to design an application to monitor information load in individuals

The Distance Dilemma : the effect of flexible working practices on performance in the digital workplace

For the past couple of decades, technological developments have caused the way in which we work to continuously evolve, particularly by changing the ease with which we can bridge physical and temporal distances. Combined with rising competitive pressures and changing employee expectations, this has led to a substantial uptake of flexible working practices. Most notable among these is telework. Whether telework actually works, however, still remains to be seen: existing studies on its relation with performance are limited, typically lacking both an indication of how frequently employees telework as well as a solid theoretical foundation that could help elucidate its underlying causal structure. These shortcomings are an important motivation behind the research presented in this dissertation, which focuses on creating a better understanding of how the extent of telework (through enacted temporal and spatial flexibility) affects employee and organizational performance. This was done by applying multiple theoretical perspectives, levels of analysis, and analytical methods in four empirical studies, each of which addresses specific distance dilemmas inherent in telework. Overall, the findings, perspectives, and frameworks presented in this dissertation offer important insights into how to maximize employee and organizational performance in a telework context, and contribute a springboard for additional investigations in this area