Essays on Knowledge Intensive Groups

<p>Expertise is regarded as the most important asset for groups working on knowledge-intensive tasks. This dissertation advances a multi-dimensional conception of group expertise that includes depth, breadth and variety as three distinct dimensions, and develops a model of the joint effect of...

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Main Author: Zhu, Xiumei
Other Authors: Cummings, Jonathon N.
Published: 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10161/3197
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spelling ndltd-DUKE-oai-dukespace.lib.duke.edu-10161-31972013-01-07T20:07:39ZEssays on Knowledge Intensive GroupsZhu, XiumeiManagementexperienceexpertisegroupsknowledge sharinglearningsocial networks<p>Expertise is regarded as the most important asset for groups working on knowledge-intensive tasks. This dissertation advances a multi-dimensional conception of group expertise that includes depth, breadth and variety as three distinct dimensions, and develops a model of the joint effect of the three dimensions on knowledge sharing and group performance. Two empirical studies test different components of the model. Using data on 174 groups from a Fortune 500 telecommunications company, one study supports the hypothesis that depth of group expertise will have a less positive effect on group performance as breadth of group expertise increases, particularly when groups engage in a low level of external task process. Using data on knowledge sharing networks among 44 employees of a supply chain service organization, the second study probes into dyadic interactions underlying group process, and tests how individual variety of experience, functional department experience (proxy for depth of expertise at the individual level), and dyadic functional difference (proxy for breadth of expertise at the dyadic level) affect dyadic knowledge sharing. Results show that individual variety of experience improves ease of knowledge sharing, and that the negative effect of functional department experience on ease of knowledge sharing is mitigated by individual variety of experience. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are considered, and directions for future studies are discussed.</p>DissertationCummings, Jonathon N.2009Dissertationhttp://hdl.handle.net/10161/3197
collection NDLTD
sources NDLTD
topic Management
experience
expertise
groups
knowledge sharing
learning
social networks
spellingShingle Management
experience
expertise
groups
knowledge sharing
learning
social networks
Zhu, Xiumei
Essays on Knowledge Intensive Groups
description <p>Expertise is regarded as the most important asset for groups working on knowledge-intensive tasks. This dissertation advances a multi-dimensional conception of group expertise that includes depth, breadth and variety as three distinct dimensions, and develops a model of the joint effect of the three dimensions on knowledge sharing and group performance. Two empirical studies test different components of the model. Using data on 174 groups from a Fortune 500 telecommunications company, one study supports the hypothesis that depth of group expertise will have a less positive effect on group performance as breadth of group expertise increases, particularly when groups engage in a low level of external task process. Using data on knowledge sharing networks among 44 employees of a supply chain service organization, the second study probes into dyadic interactions underlying group process, and tests how individual variety of experience, functional department experience (proxy for depth of expertise at the individual level), and dyadic functional difference (proxy for breadth of expertise at the dyadic level) affect dyadic knowledge sharing. Results show that individual variety of experience improves ease of knowledge sharing, and that the negative effect of functional department experience on ease of knowledge sharing is mitigated by individual variety of experience. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are considered, and directions for future studies are discussed.</p> === Dissertation
author2 Cummings, Jonathon N.
author_facet Cummings, Jonathon N.
Zhu, Xiumei
author Zhu, Xiumei
author_sort Zhu, Xiumei
title Essays on Knowledge Intensive Groups
title_short Essays on Knowledge Intensive Groups
title_full Essays on Knowledge Intensive Groups
title_fullStr Essays on Knowledge Intensive Groups
title_full_unstemmed Essays on Knowledge Intensive Groups
title_sort essays on knowledge intensive groups
publishDate 2009
url http://hdl.handle.net/10161/3197
work_keys_str_mv AT zhuxiumei essaysonknowledgeintensivegroups
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