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Innovation and knowledge sharing across professional boundaries: Political interplay between boundary objects and brokers

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  • Kimble, Chris
  • Grenier, Corinne
  • Goglio-Primard, Karine

Abstract

The article examines the process of innovation and knowledge sharing from a perspective that focuses on the influence that local circumstances can have. In particular, it looks at the problems of knowledge sharing between groups of professionals. It presents a comparative analysis of two studies, one involving two groups of IT professionals; the other a network of healthcare professionals. The data was collected in two sets. The first set consisted of the results from two earlier, independent studies; the second was collected specifically for this article. We investigate the role played by boundary objects and brokers. Through an analysis of the interplay between boundary object and broker, we uncover the dynamics of the innovation process and show that the role played by the broker can be political. We identify two strategies that are used by brokers in the selection of a boundary object. The first is directed towards achieving a balance between the actors involved and the second is directed towards controlling their activities. We conclude by suggesting that other researchers should also consider the interplay between broker and boundary object when examining cross-boundary knowledge sharing.

Suggested Citation

  • Kimble, Chris & Grenier, Corinne & Goglio-Primard, Karine, 2010. "Innovation and knowledge sharing across professional boundaries: Political interplay between boundary objects and brokers," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 437-444.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ininma:v:30:y:2010:i:5:p:437-444
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2010.02.002
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    Cited by:

    1. Clarke, Ian & Klerkx, Laurens & Ramirez, Matias, 2016. "Learning and innovation in developing economy clusters: Comparing private and non-profit intermediaries in cluster governance," Greenwich Papers in Political Economy 16712, University of Greenwich, Greenwich Political Economy Research Centre.
    2. Muhammad Abdul Basit-Memon & Manzoor Ali Mirani & Shahid Bashir, 2018. "A Qualitative Research On Individual Barriers To Knowledge Sharing: Causes And Remedies A Health-Care Sector Based Study," IBT Journal of Business Studies (JBS), Ilma University, Faculty of Management Science, vol. 14(2), pages 77-89.
    3. Standing, Holly & Patterson, Rebecca & Dalkin, Sonia & Exley, Catherine & Brittain, Katie, 2020. "A critical exploration of professional jurisdictions and role boundaries in inter-professional end-of-life care in the community," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    4. Matthijs J Janssen & Joeri Wesseling & Jonas Torrens & K Matthias & Caetano Penna & Laurens Klerkx, 2023. "Missions as boundary objects for transformative change: understanding coordination across policy, research, and stakeholder communities," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 50(3), pages 398-415.
    5. Muhammad Abdul Basit-Memon & Manzoor Ali Mirani & Shahid Bashir, 2018. "A Qualitative Research On Individual Barriers To Knowledge Sharing: Causes And Remedies A Health-Care Sector Based Study," IBT Journal of Business Studies (JBS), Ilma University, Faculty of Management Science, vol. 14(2), pages 14-17.
    6. Melo, Sara & Bishop, Simon, 2020. "Translating healthcare research evidence into practice: The role of linked boundary objects," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    7. Matias Ramirez & Ian Clarke & Laurens Klerkx, 2018. "Analysing intermediary organisations and their influence on upgrading in emerging agricultural clusters," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 50(6), pages 1314-1335, September.
    8. Yang, Huan & Klerkx, Laurens & Leeuwis, Cees, 2014. "Functions and limitations of farmer cooperatives as innovation intermediaries: Findings from China," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 115-125.
    9. Chris Kimble, 2014. "Electronic Health Records: Cure-all or Chronic Condition?," Post-Print hal-00985175, HAL.
    10. Saario, Sirpa & Hall, Christopher & Peckover, Sue, 2012. "Inter-professional electronic documents and child health: A study of persisting non-electronic communication in the use of electronic documents," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2207-2214.
    11. Omid Omidvar & Roman Kislov, 2016. "R&D Consortia As Boundary Organisations: Misalignment And Asymmetry Of Boundary Management," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 20(02), pages 1-24, February.
    12. Lefebvre, Virginie Marie & Sorenson, Douglas & Henchion, Maeve & Gellynck, Xavier, 2016. "Social capital and knowledge sharing performance of learning networks," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 570-579.
    13. Sajtos, Laszlo & Rouse, Paul & Harrison, Julie & Parsons, Matthew, 2014. "Case-mix system as a boundary object: the case of home care services," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 189-196.
    14. Chien-Hsing Wu & Shu-Chen Kao, 2016. "Appraisal of Knowledge Object Use via a Three-Phase Flow Profile," Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 15(02), pages 1-22, June.
    15. Benjamin Cabanes & Stéphane Hubac & Pascal Le Masson & Benoit Weil, 2021. "Improving reliability engineering in product development based on design theory: the case of FMEA in the semiconductor industry," Post-Print hal-03143866, HAL.
    16. Debbie Vermond & Souad Habhoubi & Esther Groot & Larike Bronkhorst & Niek Wit & Dorien Zwart, 2022. "Dealing with Discontinuity in Cancer Care Trajectories: Patients’ Solutions," The Patient: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Springer;International Academy of Health Preference Research, vol. 15(1), pages 121-130, January.
    17. Chris Kimble, 2013. "Knowledge management, codification and tacit knowledge," Post-Print halshs-00826911, HAL.
    18. Chris Kimble, 2010. "Building effective virtual teams: How to overcome the problems of trust and identity in virtual teams," Post-Print halshs-00550219, HAL.
    19. Chris Kimble, 2013. "What Cost Knowledge Management? The Example of Infosys," Post-Print halshs-00826906, HAL.
    20. Krafft, Manfred & Sajtos, Laszlo & Haenlein, Michael, 2020. "Challenges and Opportunities for Marketing Scholars in Times of the Fourth Industrial Revolution," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 1-8.
    21. Lefebvre, Virginie M. & Molnar, Adrienn & Gellynck, Xavier, 2013. "The Role of Network Administrative Organizations in the Development of Social Capital in Inter-Organizational Food Networks," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 3(3), pages 1-15, February.
    22. Klerkx, Laurens & van Bommel, Severine & Bos, Bram & Holster, Henri & Zwartkruis, Joyce V. & Aarts, Noelle, 2012. "Design process outputs as boundary objects in agricultural innovation projects: Functions and limitations," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 39-49.
    23. Daniel, Elizabeth & Myers, Andrew & Dixon, Keith, 2012. "Adoption rationales of new management practices," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(3), pages 371-380.

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