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Dynamics of Internet-Aided Voluntary Collaboration

This dissertation proposal explores the dynamics of voluntary collaboration on the internet, focusing on curriculum and instruction material development in the field of system dynamics. It aims to identify the determinants of success, understand limiting and balancing dynamics, and propose strategies for improving the efficiency and overall success of such collaboration projects.

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Dynamics of Internet-Aided Voluntary Collaboration

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  1. Dissertation Proposal Sneak Preview:The Dynamics of Internet Aided Voluntary Collaborative Work Vedat G. Diker University at Albany – SUNY April 2002

  2. About Me • 4th year Information Science PhD Student majoring in GDSM, “minoring” in Org. Studies. • Industrial Engineering and Management background. • Planning to defend proposal in May 2002. • Planning to defend dissertation by the end of 2002. • Planning to get a faculty position in a school of Information Science or Management by Fall 2003.

  3. Purpose of Today’s Presentation • Introduce my ideas and my questions about my dissertation proposal. • Get your comments and suggestions.

  4. A Short Background • Worked on OS Market Model (Linux vs. Microsoft), with Jochen Scholl. • Developed interest in Open-Source Software philosophy. • Shaped the interest into a dissertation topic, given existing conditions.

  5. Working Title The Dynamics of Internet Aided Voluntary Collaborative Work: The Case of Curriculum and Instruction Material Development in the Field of System Dynamics

  6. A Recent Phenomenon • Large groups of widely dispersed people collaborating on voluntary or semi-voluntary basis, in order to develop and improve a wide range of “information artifacts”, using the Internet as a medium.

  7. Example Information Artifacts • Software • Class notes • Reports • Essays • Presentation Slides • Link collections • etc.

  8. Main Research Question • Are there generic dynamics that govern voluntary collaboration projects on the Internet?

  9. Detailed Research Questions • - What are the dynamic determinants of success in large scale Internet-aided voluntary collaboration projects? • - What are the reinforcing dynamics? What are the limiting/balancing dynamics? • - What initial or ongoing conditions support or impede Internet-aided voluntary collaboration? • - What can be done to improve the efficiency, productivity, and the overall success of Internet-aided voluntary collaboration projects?

  10. Three (?) Models • Open Source Software Development • Online Communities* • Contributor-Run Digital Libraries* *Are these totally different? What is the difference? What determines which project falls into which category?

  11. Open Source Software • Several successful big-scale projects (GNU/Linux, Apache, Perl) • Most individual projects have various organizational and leadership structures, and work in a coherent manner. • However there are disputes, and “factions” among the overall community. (e.g. Free Software movement vs. Open Source Software movement)

  12. Online Communities • Employee (Corporate) Communities • Customer/Consumer Communities • Membership based (HMOs, Financial inst.s) • Free/Open (amazon.com, eBay, cnet.com) • Other (Informative Communities ???) • Subscription based (The Well) • Free/Open (about.com, slashdot.com)

  13. Contributor-Run Digital Libraries • ibiblio.org • Project Gutenberg • more examples ???

  14. System Dynamics in K-12 Community • Will serve as a case to calibrate the generic model. • If there are generic dynamics that govern voluntary collaboration projects on the Internet, we should be able to apply those to the case of System Dynamics in K-12 Education.

  15. Methodological Framework • Carry out literature review and determine anchor prepositions. • Carry out and analyze 2-3 initial interviews to determine what to look for in the SD in K-12 case. • Build initial model, which will help develop the formal interviews. • Carry out and analyze 10-12 formal interviews (or a survey?). • Build, refine, and analyze formal model.

  16. Determinants

  17. Determinants

  18. My Questions • “Cover all the sectors of the Models – Determinant table” vs. “Focus on …” (Which models, which determinant dimensions)? • Focus on “with Internet vs. without Internet”, OR “successful vs. unsuccessful”, OR else? • What is “success”? What is a “successful community”?

  19. My Questions • Are Online Communities and CR Digital Libraries totally different? What is the difference? What determines which project falls into which category? • Are there really three models? Less? More? What are they? • What should be the criteria to classify on-line communities?

  20. Thank you for your time and ideas.

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