RUI: VOSS: The Potential for Social Networking Cyberinfrastructure to Facilitate Virtual Organization Breeding Grounds

Bowdoin College, Brunswick ME

Investigators

Abstract

Virtual organizations have experienced an exponential growth due to their flexibility, cost effectiveness, efficiency, and ability to overcome geographic constraints. This project investigates how two scientific virtual organization breeding environments (online communities of practice) in the life sciences use social networking site technology to understand the potential of this cyberinfrastructure to foster trust and social cohesion among potential virtual organizations team members and lead to virtual organization formation and success. The research uses ethnographic and case study data (including visual maps of two virtual organization breeding environments and their interactions) to build theory and hypotheses about whether the use of social networking site technology in virtual organization breeding environments promotes virtual organization development and innovation (and, if it does, how). Quantitative data will be derived from monitoring and coding patterns of communication among participants from both VBEs. The research will also develop and extend Actor-Network-Theory and Social Network Analysis to virtual organization breeding environments improving our understanding of them as sociotechnical communities in which associations can be traced and analyzed. The formation of virtual organizations is an important issue in many fields of science and engineering, as well as in industry. This research focuses explicitly on understanding the role of women in science and attracting women (an under-represented group) into the sciences. It will improve our understanding of the role of Web 2.0 technologies in interactions between scientists and of virtual organization development. Addressing the central question of whether social network systems meaningfully facilitate the social interactions that are required for a successful virtual organization, this project will provide a rich understanding of the formation, evolution and success of virtual organizations to guide the development of cyberinfrastructure. Results will be disseminated through a Facebook group, Twitter page, project website, and a public workshop.