Shared Knowledge

The Comparability of Idiosyncratic Mental Models
1. Auflage 2012
ISBN: 978-3-8441-0186-7
Verlag: Josef Eul Verlag GmbH

Buch, Englisch, Band 19, 298 Seiten, PB, Format (B × H): 148 mm x 210 mm, Gewicht: 466 g

Reihe: Controlling

Shared knowledge is an important factor for the introduction and implementation of strategies in teams. It is also used to explain performance differences between teams. Team performance is considered critical for success for companies. Therefore, it is important to know which aspects of shared knowledge influence team performance. To determine this, it is necessary to discuss appropriate methods which are applicable to the object of research. The objects of research in this thesis are highly idiosyncratic mental models. They form the framework in which decisions take place, according to the perception of the individuals. Highly idiosyncratic mental models include domain knowledge, and the structure of the domain.

This thesis addresses the question of comparing different idiosyncratic mental models with regard to their similarities and differences. Such a comparative approach was developed and validated in five empirical studies. Its result is the "Meaning Relations Tool", a rule system to assess the similarities and differences of concepts of different idiosyncratic mental models. It is based on repeating measurements as a combination of holistic and collective elicitation surveys. The assessment of similarity is performed by the participants themselves. For this reason, conclusions can be drawn about the individual and team performance.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Buch, Sabrina

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Introduction

1.1 Research subject

1.2 Research objective and thesis structure

2. Theoretical underpinning

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Conceptual framework

3. Research methodology

3.1 Research paradigm

3.2 Research design strategies

3.3 Strategy of reasoning

3.4 Quality indices

3.5 Research techniques in (shared)-knowledge research

3.6 Research approach for eliciting shared knowledge

3.7 Research approach for aggregating mental models

3.8 Shared construct from a methodological perspective

3.9 Team performance from a methodological perspective

4. Research project ‘The comparability of idiosyncratic mental models’

4.1 Empirical Study I: Eliciting idiosyncratic knowledge structures (Approach A)

4.2 Empirical Study II: The Delphi-method for analysing idiosyncratic mental models in terms of similarity (Approach A)

4.3 Conclusion of approach a and consequences for approach B

4.4 Empirical Study III – Developing a method to aggregate idiosyncratic mental models in terms of similarity (Approach B)

4.5 Empirical Study IV – Idiosyncratic mental models and semantic relations

4.6 Empirical Study V – Evaluation of the meaning relation tool

5. Discussion and conclusion

5.1 Discussion of the research methods, including their limitations

5.2 Conclusions drawn and possible further research

6. Appendix

Über Autor(innen)

Sabrina Buch studied Psychology at the Technical University of Berlin from 1999 to 2004 attending the following majors: work and organisational psychology, educational psychology and marketing. Between 2004 and 2008 she worked as a research assistant for the chair of management control (Prof. Dr. Rolf Brühl) at the ESCP Europe in Berlin. Between 2008 and 2011 she worked as a consultant for DNV (Det Norske Veritas) where she was responsible for human factor and knowledge management projects in the energy sector. In June 2012 she finished her dissertation about shared knowledge and the idiosyncrasy of mental models with the academic degree “Dr. rer. pol.”. Since 2012 she has been working for Vattenfall Europe as coordinator for safety and occupational health projects.