The advances in online technology has revolutionised online communication. As a result of new emerging web technologies virtual interactions have taken a much more interactive structure. These improvements in technology provide richer communication experiences for the users. Online communities, with the aid of new web 2.0 technology, provide the ideal environment for knowledge sharing. It is the interaction and communication between users of such communities that triggers information and knowledge sharing. Knowledge and information sharing sets the foundation for knowledge creation and co-creation. Meanwhile knowledge is known to be one of the greatest assets of any company or organisation. A significant amount of research has been dedicated to knowledge management. Nevertheless little research has been done to explore knowledge creation and co-creation, particularly in an online community setting. This research is investigating the idea of knowledge co-creation within an online community environment. Knowing that knowledge itself is a subjective entity, which cannot be objectively measured or quantified, the research takes an interpretive approach to finding out how this knowledge is co-created by the users of online communities. One of the main significant factors of this study is that it has used a unique and novel research method to tackle what appears to be a difficult subject. The research uses an interpretive case study method, however without any data collection. The investigation will be exclusively interpretive and philosophically evaluated based on the relevant literature and a set of principles introduced by Klein and Myers (1999). These principles were introduced as a guideline for conducting and evaluating interpretive studies in information systems. Using Klein and Myers’ principles has the advantage of being based on a well-established contemporary literature in information systems (IS) research methodology. The principles have not been used in an exclusively exploratory and interpretive research before. This itself is a major methodological contribution for future researchers to utilise as a practical example. The study develops a conceptual framework around knowledge co-creation, online communities and the technology. This framework is based on a proposed RECI model offered for knowledge creation in online communities. It also investigates the role of technology in the co-creation process. Finally it proposes a set of characteristics and guidelines that facilitate knowledge co-creation in online communities. These characteristics and guidelines would help design and implement future knowledge co-creating online communities, for example, e-learning and knowledge management systems. Furthermore the research lays the foundations for introducing the knowledge co-creation theory within online communities by proposing the initial hypothesis. Subject to appropriate future research and testing, the hypothesis can be developed into a practical theory.

No description available.

The purpose of this study is to explore the engagement in an innovation ecosystem for knowledge co-creation. It aims at exploring the various aspects of ecosystems, innovation, and knowledge which can drive or hinder actors to engage in collaboration in an innovation ecosystem. A single case study was selected as a research strategy (The OSMaaS project), as it provided us the opportunity to analyze an innovation ecosystem with specific characteristics that few has considered before. Semi-structured interview was used as data collectiontechnique since this interview method offered us the required flexibility to explore in depth theindividual experiences lived during the process of evaluating whether to engage or not to the OSMaaS project. Consequently, a hybrid approach of thematic analysis was selected as methodfor data analysis as it allowed us to interact with the interviewees or the empirical world, theconcepts regarding innovation and ecosystems or theory, and the OSMaaS project or the case study. The findings show that aspects of ecosystems, innovation and Knowledge co-creation aspects such as co-opetition, ecosystem governance and structure, proximity, relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, observability, competitive advantage, and product development contain factors driving and hindering actors’ engagement in aninnovation ecosystem. These factors are explained within this study and show what have droveand hindered actors to engage in the OSMaaS project.

Increasingly, firms like Patagonia, IKEA, General Mills, or Barilla actively seek to understand their interdependence with nature, build innovative capabilities, and generate more radical shifts toward sustainability. This creates exciting opportunities to investigate exactly how these companies obtain knowledge about ecosystem dynamics and processes and how they use it both to cope with climate change or declining ecosystem resilience and contribute to maintain or even strengthen ecosystems. Despite the considerable potential to advance research on organizational strategy and corporate sustainability, the notion of ‘ecological knowledge’ has yet to enter the scholarly work of management and business organization in a substantive manner. At present, we know almost nothing about the processes, mechanisms, and routines that enable an organization to, first, recognize the value of such knowledge and to, then, systematically access, co-create, integrate and utilize such knowledge into its broader knowledge and resource base. My dissertation attempts to fill this gap and opens up new directions for research on the role of ecological knowledge in corporate sustainability management. More specifically, I ask: What are the processes through which organizations can effectively access, co-create, integrate and utilize ecological knowledge with current organizational knowledge and strategies? I link strategic and organization-focused concepts of knowledge and the perspective of absorptive capacity with the notion of ecological knowledge from modern ecology, especially from the social-ecological systems literature, to shed light on the processes through which organizations can effectively access, co-create, integrate and utilize new ecological knowledge into their operational and strategic decision making. I adopt a qualitative, emergent, and inductive strategy drawing on a grounded research approach to gain an in-depth, cross-validated, and processual understanding of the mechanisms through which organizations can promote and enhance ecosystem health including biodiversity. I undertook my study on the organic agriculture sector, a sub-sector of the modern agriculture and agri-food industry. I collected data from nineteen agriculture and agri-food organizations based in British Columbia (BC), the westernmost province of Canada, using multiple data sources including in-depth interviews, observations, company documents, reports, newspaper articles and field reports. Based on my analysis, I develop a grounded theory about the processes through which organizations can successfully deepen their ecological knowledge and then utilize this knowledge to more sustainably manage their relationships with nature and contribute to protecting or even strengthening ecosystem functionality. With my dissertation, I address the call from scholars in Organization and the Natural Environment (ONE) and Corporate Sustainability for more transdisciplinary cross-fertilization as an essential approach to building compelling new theory and models in the field. First, my analysis offers a more fine-grained understanding of the types, components, dimensions, and characteristics of ecological knowledge. Second, my analysis uncovers a micro-level account of the processes by which individuals as critical actors identify, evaluate and make sense of the organization-environment interrelationships across various scales of time and space. I also identify the multiple personal characteristics of individual actors that influence these processes in various stages and circumstances. Third, my study offers insights into the factors that can strengthen an organization’s relational capacity to build mutual trust and collaboration with holders of ecological knowledge. Fourth, it sheds light on how firms engage with and motivate multiple community stakeholders in building a collaborative process of mutual learning, knowledge sharing, and knowledge co-creation to build joint capacity for coping successfully with many complex challenges of sustainability, thus contributing to the wellbeing of the entire social-ecological system. Collectively, these contributions provide a deeper and more holistic understanding of the processes of acquiring and co-creating ecological knowledge that can allow an organization to transition successfully towards greater ecological sustainability. My dissertation also offers numerous practically relevant insights for businesses facing the challenges of economic, social and environmental sustainability, as well as specific guidance on how companies can protect or enhance their supply of natural capital and contribute toward greater stability of the broader human-nature systems in which they are embedded. / Graduate / 2023-11-15

[ES] La creación de conocimiento no solo es el núcleo del crecimiento económico, sino también la base del bienestar social. La cocreación de conocimiento hoy en día depende de una amplia colaboración entre diversos sectores de la sociedad, especialmente en los esfuerzos colaborativos entre universidades e industrias. Investigar la dinámica de la cocreación de conocimiento y su impacto es esencial, especialmente en un contexto donde las empresas están se han convertido en actores clave de la innovación. Este nivel de participación en I+D presenta varios beneficios, pero también plantea dudas sobre el impacto científico y la calidad de la investigación impulsada por empresas. El objetivo principal de esta tesis doctoral es abordar tres preguntas de investigación. Primero, investigar la influencia del crecimiento económico en los resultados de la cocreación de conocimiento científico de las empresas y su impacto científico. Segundo, examinar el papel de diferentes tipos de canales de transferencia de conocimiento, los canales formales, informales y cocreativos, en la relación entre crecimiento económico y su impacto científico. Tercero, explorar el aumento de las motivaciones centradas en el equipo para colaborar con la industria de los cocreadores en el contexto de las prácticas de gestión universitaria y la cultura de evaluación (lo que denominamos gerencialismo de la academia). El contexto del estudio es la cocreación de conocimiento en España. Durante el período de estudio, de 2000 a 2016, varias condiciones institucionales y socioeconómicas han cambiado la dinámica de la cocreación entre universidades e industria. El análisis empírico utiliza tres fuentes de datos. Primero, datos cualitativos de entrevistas semiestructuradas con investigadores universitarios e industriales. Segundo, un conjunto de datos de publicaciones de 15,500 empresas españolas que abarcan desde 2000 hasta 2016. Tercero, una encuesta realizada a los 3,338 autores correspondientes de estas publicaciones. En general, esta tesis explora cómo los aspectos de la cocreación universidad-industria y su impacto responden a los cambios en las condiciones institucionales y socioeconómicas. Primero, se proporciona evidencia empírica para confirmar una teoría del ciclo, que postula que el crecimiento económico mantiene una relación curvilínea con la cocreación de conocimiento científico de las empresas con las universidades y con su impacto científico. Segundo, muestra un efecto negativo de los canales informales sobre el impacto científico de la ciencia colaborativa, y un efecto moderador positivo de los canales informales y cocreativos en la relación entre el crecimiento económico y el impacto científico. Tercero, ilustra el impacto del gerencialismo académico en la evolución de motivaciones individuales hacia motivaciones centradas en el equipo para colaborar con la industria entre los cocreadores universitarios. Estos hallazgos sugieren que la creación de conocimiento y el impacto científico de las empresas españolas son vulnerables a las fluctuaciones económicas, lo que resulta en cierta inestabilidad para cocrear conocimiento científico de alta calidad. Por otro lado, esta tesis destaca la importancia del papel de los programas de colaboración impulsados por el gobierno en el avance de la ciencia empresarial. Al confirmar un efecto positivo de los canales cocreativos, muestra que los proyectos conjuntos financiados con fondos públicos apoyan la ciencia colaborativa y potencian los efectos del crecimiento económico en el impacto científico. Finalmente, al explorar las motivaciones en el contexto del gerencialismo académico, la tesis reflexiona sobre los riesgos de un control y una performatividad excesivos en ciertas condiciones laborales dentro de las universidades, que influyen en las motivaciones de los académicos para colaborar con las industrias. / [CA] La creació de coneixement no només és el nucli del creixement econòmic, sinó també la base del benestar social. La cocreació de coneixement avui dia depèn d'una àmplia col·laboració entre diversos sectors de la societat, amb un èmfasi predominant en els esforços col·laboratius entre universitats i indústries. Investigar la dinàmica de la cocreació de coneixement i el seu impacte és essencial, especialment en un context on les corporacions estan progressivament convertint-se en actors clau en el panorama de la innovació, i la seva implicació planteja dubtes sobre l'impacte científic i la qualitat de la investigació impulsada per empreses. Aquest nivell de participació en R+D presenta diversos beneficis, però també planteja dubtes sobre l'impacte científic i la qualitat de la investigació impulsada per empreses. L'objectiu principal d'aquesta tesi doctoral és abordar tres conjunts de preguntes d'investigació. Primer, investigar la influència del creixement econòmic en els resultats de la cocreació de coneixement científic de les empreses i el seu impacte científic. Segon, examinar el paper de diferents tipus de canals de transferència de coneixement en la relació entre creixement econòmic i impacte científic. Es prova el paper dels canals formals, informals i cocreatius en particular. Tercer, explorar l'augment de les motivacions centrades en l'equip per col·laborar amb la indústria dels cocreadors en el context de les pràctiques de gestió universitària i la cultura d'avaluació (el que anomenem managerialisme de l'acadèmia). El context de l'estudi és la cocreació de coneixement a Espanya. Durant el període d'estudi, del 2000 al 2016, diverses condicions institucionals i socioeconòmiques han canviat la dinàmica de la cocreació entre universitats i indústria. L'anàlisi empíric es basa en tres fonts principals de dades. Primer, dades qualitatives d'entrevistes semiestructurades amb investigadors universitaris i industrials. Segon, un conjunt de dades de publicacions de 15.500 empreses espanyoles que abasten des del 2000 fins al 2016. Tercer, una enquesta realitzada als 3.338 autors corresponents d'aquestes publicacions. En general, aquesta tesi compleix el seu objectiu d'explorar com els aspectes de la cocreació universitat-indústria i el seu impacte en la ciència empresarial responen als canvis en les condicions institucionals i socioeconòmiques. Primer, aquesta tesi proporciona evidència empírica per confirmar una teoria del cicle universitat-indústria, que postula que el creixement econòmic manté una relació curvilínia amb la cocreació de coneixement científic de les empreses amb les universitats i el seu impacte científic. Segon, mostra un efecte negatiu dels canals informals sobre l'impacte científic de la ciència col·laborativa, i un efecte moderador positiu dels canals informals i cocreatius en la relació entre creixement econòmic i impacte científic. Tercer, il·lustra l'impacte del managerialisme acadèmic en l'evolució de motivacions autocentrades cap a motivacions centrades en l'equip per col·laborar. Aquests resultats suggereixen que la creació de coneixement i l'impacte científic de les empreses espanyoles són vulnerables a les fluctuacions econòmiques, resultant en una capacitat inestable per cocrear coneixement científic d'alta qualitat. D'altra banda, aquesta tesi destaca la importància del paper dels programes de col·laboració impulsats pel govern en l'avenç de la ciència empresarial. En confirmar un efecte positiu dels canals cocreatius, mostra que els projectes conjunts finançats amb fons públics donen suport a la ciència col·laborativa i potencien els efectes del creixement econòmic en l'impacte científic. Finalment, en explorar les motivacions en el context del managerialisme acadèmic, la tesi reflexiona sobre els riscos d'un control i una performativitat excessius en certes condicions laborals dins les universitats, que influeixen en les motivacions dels acadèmics per col·laborar amb les indústries. / [EN] Knowledge creation is not only the core of economic growth, but also the basis of social welfare. Knowledge co-creation nowadays relies on extensive collaboration across diverse sectors of society, with a predominant emphasis on collaborative endeavours between universities and industries. Investigating the dynamics of knowledge co-creation and its impact is essential, particularly within a context where corporations are progressively becoming pivotal players in the innovation landscape and its involvement raises doubts regarding business scientific impact and its quality. This level of involvement in R&D present several benefits, but also raises doubts regarding the scientific impact and quality of business-driven research. The primary objective of this doctoral thesis is to address three sets of research questions. First, to investigate the influence economic growth on firms' scientific knowledge co-creation outputs and its scientific impact. Second, to examine the role of different types of knowledge transfer channels in the relationship of economic growth and scientific impact. The role of formal channels, informal channels, and cocreative channels in particular, is tested. Third, to explore the rise of team-centred motivations to collaborate with industry of co-creators in the context of university management practices, and assessment culture (what we denominate as managerialism of academia). The context of the study is Spanish co-creation of knowledge. Over the period of study from 2000 to 2016, several institutional and socio-economic conditions have changed the dynamics of co-creation between universities and industry. The empirical analysis relies on three main data sources. First, qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with university and industry researchers. Second, a dataset of publications from 15,500 Spanish firms spanning 2000 to 2016. Third, a survey conducted to the 3,338 corresponding authors of these publications. In general, this thesis fulfils its objective of exploring how aspects of university-industry co-creation and its impact on business science respond to changes in institutional and socio-economic conditions. First, this thesis provides empirical evidence to confirm a university-industry cycle theory, positing that economic growth maintains a curvilinear relationship with firms' co-creation of scientific knowledge with universities and its scientific impact. Second, it shows a negative effect of informal channels on the scientific impact of collaborative science, and a positive moderating effect of informal and cocreative channels on the relationship between economic growth and scientific impact. Third, it illustrates the impact of academic managerialism on the evolution of self-centred towards team-centred motivations to collaborate with industry among university co-creators. These findings suggest that knowledge creation and the scientific impact of Spanish firms are vulnerable to economic fluctuations, resulting in an unstable capacity to co-create high-quality scientific knowledge. On the other hand, this thesis highlights the importance of the role of government-driven collaboration programmes in advancing business science. By confirming a positive effect of co-creative channels, it shows that informal channels and joint projects financed by public funds support collaborative science and boost the effects of economic growth on scientific impact. Finally, when exploring the motivations within the context of academic managerialism, the thesis reflects on the risks of excessive control and performativity in certain working conditions within universities, which influence academics' motivations to collaborate with industries. The conclusions of this thesis offer valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners aiming to optimize strategies for promoting innovation and scientific impact of collaborative research. / This thesis received funding from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, through Project CSO2016-79045-C2-2-R of the Spanish National R&D&I Plan. The Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness funded a pre-doctoral contract, BES-2017-082285, to develop the thesis within the framework of the same project / Gómez Aguayo, AM. (2024). Dynamics of University-Industry Knowledge Co-creation: Coping with Economic Swings and Academic Managerialism [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/213303