Dialogue During Team Problem Solving Using Visual Representation Boundary Objects: A Case Study

Organizations benefit from the knowledge held by individual members as well as knowledge that is shared among those members. In order for knowledge to co-develop between members, and to spread, organizations must provide opportunities for members to collaborate. Organizational teams sometimes requir...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Webb, Julie M.
Format: Others
Published: Scholarly Commons 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/3707
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4704&context=uop_etds
Description
Summary:Organizations benefit from the knowledge held by individual members as well as knowledge that is shared among those members. In order for knowledge to co-develop between members, and to spread, organizations must provide opportunities for members to collaborate. Organizational teams sometimes require assistance with interpersonal communication, establishing consensus, and sharing knowledge when collaborating. Group facilitators can offer guidance and intervene when teams need support. In addition, teams can find support through the use of visual representation boundary objects (VRBOs) to build trust, improve communication, increase cooperation, and share ideas. This study explores how knowledge is shared between team members and uncovers the importance of social interaction during the co-development of shared knowledge. The role that group facilitators play in team collaboration is highlighted. The results of the study indicate that a positive relationship exists between the use of a VRBO and the development of shared knowledge amongst a team. Patterns emerged from the findings that reveal a structure to the team’s collective meaning making that constitutes an underlying theory of action. The author examines the benefits of using VRBOs for teams and organizations including improved collaboration and communication.