Modelling Dimensions of `the Social' in Knowledge Teams: An Operationalisation of Habermas' Theory of Communicative Action

Authored by Elizabeth Quinlan, Susan Robertson

Date Published: 2010-08-31

DOI: 10.5153/sro.2189

Sponsors: No sponsors listed

Platforms: No platforms listed

Model Documentation: Other Narrative Mathematical description

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

The introduction of knowledge teams, as a new form of work organisation, is one of many institutional transformations associated with the knowledge economy. The research on the effects of this new form of work organisation on the social processes by which knowledge workers exchange, create, and apply knowledge is limited. The research that does exist uses various communication theories to explain the social interactions within knowledge teams. We offer an alternative theoretical framework, based on Habermas' theory of communicative action. In this paper, we operationalise the theory using dynamic agent-based modelling to perform a series of `virtual experiments' on the temporal dynamics of knowledge exchange within teams. The modelling results are used to critically reflect on the theory and draw conclusions regarding the lifeworld rationalisation within knowledge teams. The paper closes by specifying areas of future work and suggesting that a practical outcome of the completed research agenda will be an evaluation tool to be used by knowledge teams to assess how effective they are at communicating and producing knowledge.

Tags

Communicative Action Dynamic Agent Based Modelling Knowledge exchange Multi-Disciplinary Knowledge Teams