Open AccessCollaboration Structure, Communication Media, and Problems in Scientific Work Teams
Author(s) -
Walsh John P.,
Maloney Nancy G.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of computer‐mediated communication
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.15
H-Index - 119
ISSN - 1083-6101
DOI - 10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00346.x
Subject(s) - work (physics) , competition (biology) , phone , commercialization , face (sociological concept) , sociology , computer science , business , social science , engineering , marketing , mechanical engineering , ecology , linguistics , philosophy , biology
This article reviews the structural characteristics of work organizations that are likely to increase collaboration problems and tests the relationships between collaboration structure and problems using data from a survey of scientists in four fields (experimental biology, mathematics, physics, and sociology). Two groups of problems are identified: problems of coordination and misunderstandings and problems of cultural differences and information security. Greater coordination problems are associated with size, distance, interdependence, and scientific competition. Problems of culture and security are associated with size, distance, scientific competition, and commercialization. Email use is associated with reporting fewer coordination problems, but not fewer problems of culture and security, while neither phone use nor face‐to‐face meetings significantly reduces problems. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings for designers of collaboration technologies and researchers involved in scientific collaborations.