Business Commons^™

An Application Of The Socio-Technical Systems Approach To Implementation Of Electronic Evidence Into Practice: The Clinical Practice Model Framework, Kathleen Abrahamson, Priscilla Arling, Bonnie Wesorick, James Anderson

Priscilla Arling

Implementation of electronic evidence into the practice environments of clinical staff is an ongoing challenge in health care organizations. Despite localized efforts to integrate point-of-care technology with clinical practice, system-wide transformation across multiple clinical settings has not commonly occurred. This paper examines a framework designed to guide the implementation of evidence-based practice using technology in health care settings from the theoretical lens of the Socio-Technical Systems (STS) approach. The framework under study is called the CPM Framework™, developed by the Clinical Practice Model Resource Center (CPMRC). The CPMRC is a collaborative consortium of health care providers representing over 300 rural, …

Comparing Electronic And Face-To-Face Communication In The Success Of A Long-Term Care Quality Improvement Collaborative, Priscilla Arling, Edward Miech, Greg Arling

Priscilla Arling

Researchers have long debated the effectiveness of electronic communication for getting work done in organizations, with many arguing that face-to-face interaction is key to high quality work and desired outcomes. Yet in healthcare quality improvement (QI) collaboratives, membership is frequently comprised of individuals from different, geographically dispersed organizations. This study examines the relationship between electronic and face-to-face interaction and the outcomes of a specific QI collaborative, the Empira Fall Prevention project in Minnesota. Outside of regularly scheduled meetings, the level of electronic communication reported by participants was associated with better outcomes in terms of reducing the percentage of new falls …

Redefining And Measuring Virtual Work In Teams: An Application Of Social Network Analysis, Priscilla Arling

Priscilla Arling

For several decades organizational researchers have explored the practice of using electronic technology to communicate when team members work physically apart from each other. Yet despite a growing body of research in the areas of telework and virtual teams, findings regarding the antecedents and outcomes of virtual work have often been inconsistent and many questions remain [1, 2]. One possible reason for the equivocality of findings regarding this practice is the lack of a common definition and method of measuring virtual work. The purpose of this paper is to present a definition and measure of virtual work that can capture …

Systems Theory And Knowledge Management Systems: The Case Of Pratt-Whitney Rocketdyne, Priscilla Arling

Priscilla Arling

Despite a growing body of research on knowledge management (KM) systems, many managers are still unsure how they can implement a KM system that will effectively contribute to the firm’s competitive advantage. A common framework is one that breaks down KM into four main activities: knowledge creation, storage, transfer, and application. This paper describes one company’s use of an alternative perspective–a systems thinking approach–to define and improve KM within the firm. Pratt-Whitney Rocketdyne moved away from viewing KM as separate processes, to view the organization holistically as a system of people, processes, and technology. Based on this perspective, the company …

The Effect Of Virtuality On Individual Network Centrality And Performance In On-Going, Distributed Teams, Priscilla Arling, Mani Subramani

Priscilla Arling

For distributed teams to succeed, individuals must interact successfully within team social networks. To understand individual performance in distributed teams, we consider a multi-dimensional view of individual virtuality and its relationship with centrality in the team’s face-to-face network and ICT network. We leverage social network theory and hierarchically analyze data from 254 individuals in 18 teams. We find that members with higher dispersion are less central in the face-to-face network while those with higher ICT use are more central in the ICT network. Centrality in the ICT network, but not centrality in the face-to-face network, is positively related to performance. …

Leveraging Social Network Analysis To Improve The Implementation Of Evidence-Based Practices And Systems In Healthcare, Priscilla Arling

Priscilla Arling

In healthcare, evidence-based practice (EBP) integrates clinical expertise with the best available external evidence from systematic research. Yet even with the aid of technology, implementation of EBP in many settings remains a challenge. This paper combines research from the fields of healthcare implementation science and social networks to present an integrated framework for the study of EBP-related information systems. We explore the application of the framework to a complex healthcare collaborative, the MRSA infection control project, a project intended to foster the implementation of EBP's to reduce the spread of MRSA infections. We also consider how the framework can be …

Facilitating New Knowledge Creation And Obtaining Km Maturity, Priscilla Arling, Mark Chun

Priscilla Arling

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe a framework designed to assess the capacity of a knowledge management (KM) system to facilitate new knowledge creation.

Design/methodology/approach – A longitudinal case study methodology, in a single company, Pratt Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR), was used to test the framework.

Findings – New knowledge creation is best supported through mature KM systems that include all four modes of knowledge creation: combination, externalization, socialization, and internalization. KM systems and environments as a whole reach maturity by progressing through stages, which is presented as a KM maturity model.

Research limitations/implications – By combining …

A Systems Analysis Experiential Case Study: Repeatable Real World Problem Solving, Priscilla Arling, C. Deeter, H. Eggers

Priscilla Arling

Many business schools today are emphasizing experiential education, particularly in undergraduate instruction, where students often have had limited exposure to business settings. While a business problem can be presented in the form of a written case study, real world projects for external clients are increasingly being incorporated into the classroom. However finding suitable clients and projects for multiple student teams each semester can be difficult.

Being There Versus Being Wired: The Effect Of Colocation On Social Capital In Distributed Teams, Priscilla Arling, Mani Subramani

Priscilla Arling

Advancement in communication technologies continues to fuel the growth of geographically distributed teams. Managers and team members have expressed concerns about negative impacts when individuals work at a distance from each other since such changes in work structure can affect social interactions among individuals in teams. The social relationships, shared experiences, and ongoing interpersonal interactions that often arise from colocation are recognized as contributing to the social capital of individuals. In this paper, we examine how working in a distributed team, a feature that influences the extent to which team members are colocated, affects the level of individual social capital. …

Utilizing Social Networking Technologies To Facilitate A Knowledge Management And A Generative Learning Environment, M. Chun, Priscilla Arling, B. Mcquaid

Priscilla Arling

Note: full-text not available due to publisher restrictions. Link takes you to an external site where you can purchase the symposium paper.

Toward More Effective Implementation Of Evidence-Based Practice: Relational And Contextual Considerations, Priscilla Arling, R. Fox, B. Doebbling

Priscilla Arling

Note: full-text not available due to publisher restrictions. Link takes you to an external site where you can purchase the book or borrow it from a local library.

Applying Systems Thinking To Knowledge Management Systems: The Case Of Pratt-Whitney Rocketdyne, M. Chun, K. Sohn, Priscilla Arling, N. Granados

Priscilla Arling

Note: full-text not available due to publisher restrictions. Link takes you to an external site where you can locate the article at your local library.

Systems Theory And Knowledge Management Systems: The Case Of Pratt-Whitney Rocketdyne, Mark Chun, Kiho Sohn, Priscilla Arling, Nelson Granados

Priscilla Arling

Despite a growing body of research on knowledge management (KM) systems, many managers are still unsure how they can implement a KM system that will effectively contribute to the firm’s competitive advantage. A common framework is one that breaks down KM into four main activities: knowledge creation, storage, transfer, and application. This paper describes one company’s use of an alternative perspective–a systems thinking approach–to define and improve KM within the firm. Pratt-Whitney Rocketdyne moved away from viewing KM as separate processes, to view the organization holistically as a system of people, processes, and technology. Based on this perspective, the company …

Redefining And Measuring Virtual Work In Teams: An Application Of Social Network Analysis, Priscilla Arling

Priscilla Arling

For several decades organizational researchers have explored the practice of using electronic technology to communicate when team members work physically apart from each other. Yet despite a growing body of research in the areas of telework and virtual teams, findings regarding the antecedents and outcomes of virtual work have often been inconsistent and many questions remain [1, 2]. One possible reason for the equivocality of findings regarding this practice is the lack of a common definition and method of measuring virtual work. The purpose of this paper is to present a definition and measure of virtual work that can capture …

Virtual Work, Priscilla Arling

Priscilla Arling

Note: full-text not available due to publisher restrictions. Link takes you to an external site where you can purchase the book or borrow it from a local library.