Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Understanding factors that enhance or diminish performance levels of individuals is instrumental for achieving individual (low level) and organisational (high level) goals. In this study, the effect of social network structure, position, ties and information and communication technologies (ICT) use on performance attitudes of knowledge intensive workers in dispersed occupational communities is investigated. Based on social network theories of strength of weak ties and structural holes, and the social influence model of technology use, a theoretical framework is developed. In conjunction with qualitative interviews conducted with subject matter experts, the framework is used to further develop and refine a valid and reliable survey instrument. Secondly, network measures of degree centrality, density, structural holes (constraint and efficiency), tie strength and tie diversity are applied for exploring the association with ICT use and performance from a sample of 110 rural general practitioners. Empirical results suggest that network structure, position and ties of knowledge workers play a crucial role in individual performance and ICT use. In particular, degree centrality and task-level ICT use was found to be positively associated with performance while ego-network constraint was found to be negatively correlated with performance. In terms of ICT use, functional diversity and degree centrality were positively associated with task-level ICT use whereas ego-network efficiency was found to be negatively correlated with ICT use at the communication-structure level. Among the variables that showed significance, degree centrality best explained overall variance for performance, and functional diversity best explained overall variance for task-level ICT use, although professional accreditations remains a potent indicator also. The results from this study resonate with findings from past literature and extend traditional theory of social networks and performance within the micro level to include geographically dispersed individuals involved in knowledge intensive work. For individuals in such non-competitive settings, traditional network theories such as structural holes theory still apply. However, a key finding is that network structure is a much more potent predictor of performance although network position is important. The second key finding addresses a major gap in the literature concerning understanding social processes that influence ICT use. As the technology acceptance and the social influence models lack empirical evidence from a social networks perspective, this research shows that rather than the strength of ties which functions as a conduit of novel ideas and information, it is the functional tie diversity within individual professionals networks that increase ICT use at the task-level. Methodologically, the study contributes towards a triangulation approach that utilises both qualitative and quantitative methods for operationalising the study. The quantitative method includes a non-traditional “networks” method of data collection and analysis to serve as a fine complement to traditional research methods in behavioural studies. The outcome is a valid and reliable survey instrument that allows collection of both individual attribute and social network data. The instrument is theoretically driven, practically feasible to implement, time-efficient and easily replicable for other similar studies. At the domain level, key findings from this study contradict previous literature which suggests that professionals in occupational communities such as general practitioners decline in performance as they age. In fact, findings from this study suggest that age and experience do not affect for performance; rather, there is a negative relationship between experience and task-level ICT use, and that task-level ICT use is positively associated with performance in terms of attitudes to interpersonal care. Furthermore, degree centrality is also positively associated with professional accreditations, such as fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, which is conducive to performance in terms of attitudes to interpersonal and technical care. The contextual implication from the quantitative and qualitative evidence of this study is that while contemplating strategies for optimising ICT use or for improving attitudes to quality of care at the technical and interpersonal level, the importance of social structure, position and relations in the practitioner’s professional network needs to be considered carefully as part of the overall individual and organisation-level goals.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Understanding factors that enhance or diminish performance levels of individuals is instrumental for achieving individual (low level) and organisational (high level) goals. In this study, the effect of social network structure, position, ties and information and communication technologies (ICT) use on performance attitudes of knowledge intensive workers in dispersed occupational communities is investigated. Based on social network theories of strength of weak ties and structural holes, and the social influence model of technology use, a theoretical framework is developed. In conjunction with qualitative interviews conducted with subject matter experts, the framework is used to further develop and refine a valid and reliable survey instrument. Secondly, network measures of degree centrality, density, structural holes (constraint and efficiency), tie strength and tie diversity are applied for exploring the association with ICT use and performance from a sample of 110 rural general practitioners. Empirical results suggest that network structure, position and ties of knowledge workers play a crucial role in individual performance and ICT use. In particular, degree centrality and task-level ICT use was found to be positively associated with performance while ego-network constraint was found to be negatively correlated with performance. In terms of ICT use, functional diversity and degree centrality were positively associated with task-level ICT use whereas ego-network efficiency was found to be negatively correlated with ICT use at the communication-structure level. Among the variables that showed significance, degree centrality best explained overall variance for performance, and functional diversity best explained overall variance for task-level ICT use, although professional accreditations remains a potent indicator also. The results from this study resonate with findings from past literature and extend traditional theory of social networks and performance within the micro level to include geographically dispersed individuals involved in knowledge intensive work. For individuals in such non-competitive settings, traditional network theories such as structural holes theory still apply. However, a key finding is that network structure is a much more potent predictor of performance although network position is important. The second key finding addresses a major gap in the literature concerning understanding social processes that influence ICT use. As the technology acceptance and the social influence models lack empirical evidence from a social networks perspective, this research shows that rather than the strength of ties which functions as a conduit of novel ideas and information, it is the functional tie diversity within individual professionals networks that increase ICT use at the task-level. Methodologically, the study contributes towards a triangulation approach that utilises both qualitative and quantitative methods for operationalising the study. The quantitative method includes a non-traditional “networks” method of data collection and analysis to serve as a fine complement to traditional research methods in behavioural studies. The outcome is a valid and reliable survey instrument that allows collection of both individual attribute and social network data. The instrument is theoretically driven, practically feasible to implement, time-efficient and easily replicable for other similar studies. At the domain level, key findings from this study contradict previous literature which suggests that professionals in occupational communities such as general practitioners decline in performance as they age. In fact, findings from this study suggest that age and experience do not affect for performance; rather, there is a negative relationship between experience and task-level ICT use, and that task-level ICT use is positively associated with performance in terms of attitudes to interpersonal care. Furthermore, degree centrality is also positively associated with professional accreditations, such as fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, which is conducive to performance in terms of attitudes to interpersonal and technical care. The contextual implication from the quantitative and qualitative evidence of this study is that while contemplating strategies for optimising ICT use or for improving attitudes to quality of care at the technical and interpersonal level, the importance of social structure, position and relations in the practitioner’s professional network needs to be considered carefully as part of the overall individual and organisation-level goals.

I denna studie undersöks hur personer med ledarskapsroller inom kunskapsintensivt arbete (LIKA) upplever att möjligheterna och utmaningarna med digitala arbetssätt på distans påverkar deras arbete och deras välmående. Studien baseras på semi-strukturerade intervjuer med 13 deltagare med sådan yrkesbefattning, och resulterar i en bred mängd möjligheter från digitala arbetssätt – som exempelvis att arbetet blir mer effektivt och kan utföras oberoende av tid eller geografisk plats. Eftersom dessa digitala arbetssätt däremot är så pass nya förekommer även en del utmaningar, då hanteringen av denna teknik fortfarande är under en inlärningsperiod. Några av utmaningarna som deltagarna i denna studie uttryckt är att förväntningarna på hastigheten som arbete utförs i ökar med digitala hjälpmedel, samt att det är svårare att särkoppla arbete och privatliv eftersom båda dessa är så lättillgängliga med hjälp av informations- och kommunikationsteknik (IKT). Under det distansarbete som deltagarna utövat upplevde de även en ökad svårighet att separera arbete från privatliv eftersom dessa delade samma fysiska yta: hemmet. Effektiviteten och tillgängligheten bidrar till en ökad upplevelse av flexibilitet och att själv kunna styra över sin tid. Detta upplevdes som positivt av deltagarna, och enligt föreliggande forskning är dessa faktorer centrala för att uppfylla delar av livsbalansens dimensioner, som enligt studier är väsentligt för välmående. Genom digitala arbetssätt får således deltagarna en förbättrad livsbalans eftersom de själva har möjlighet att styra över sin tid samtidigt som deras produktivitet ökar. Med uteslutande digitala arbetssätt blir däremot gemenskapen på arbetsplatsen bristande. Deltagarna önskade därför att efter rådande pandemi orsakad av COVID-19 kunna kombinera digitala arbetssätt med traditionella arbetssätt på sin arbetsplats, och på så vis kunna träffa sina kollegor fysiskt och känna en starkare tillhörighet till sin arbetsgrupp. Genom exklusivt arbete kunde deltagarna utföra sitt arbete, men saknade ändå traditionella arbetssätt på grund av de sociala faktorerna. Digitalt arbete kan därför ses ha praktiska fördelar, men emotionella utmaningar, och en kombination av båda – traditionellt arbete på arbetsplatsen och digitalt arbete på distans – torde därför kunna bidra till ökad produktivitet, en förstärkt frihetskänsla och en bevarad social gemenskap, och således gynna individens livsbalans och välmående. / This study examines how people with managerial positions within knowledge intensive work experience that the opportunities and challenges of remote digital work affects their work and their well-being. In the study, 13 semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals of such positions, and resulted in a broad variety of possibilities derived from digital work – e.g. being able to work more efficiently and regardless of time or place. Nonetheless, due to digital work still being relatively new, challenges also arise as a consequence of being in a learning process of how digital work may be handled. Some of the challenges mentioned by the participants of the study include the speed of which work is expected to be performed at when utilizing digital tools, or that the separation between work and private life has been aggravated due to the increased accessibility. Additionally, as a consequence of the current pandemic, the participants were working remote from their homes, which was explained as a factor contributing to a heightened difficulty of separating their work life from their private life. The reason for this being work life and private life sharing the same physical space: their homes. However, the participants described the gained efficiency and availability from digital work as contributing to an increased experience of flexibility and being in control of their time and productivity. This was described as a positive effect of digital work, and according to theory essential to improve life balance. Hence, the participants have a possibility of improved life balance through digital work as it allows them to control their time whilst also improving their productivity. Nevertheless, the participants still aspired for a combination of digital work and traditional work post pandemic, due to the solidarity within the workplace being experienced as insufficient via solely digital mediums. Therefore, a combination of digital work and traditional work was desired to allow for effective work without social diminution. The employees could perform their work through exclusively digital mediums, yet still expressed missing traditional ways of working due to the social factors. Digital ways of working may therefore be seen as with practical benefits, and emotional challenges. A combination of digital and traditional work could therefore maximize productivity and increase flexibility whilst still maintaining social connections, thus favoring life balance and well-being.