Kent Wickstrøm Jensen

Relational effects on knowledge integration: the differential effects on search and transfer

The paper investigates the effect of homophily and status differences on knowledge integration among individuals involved in product development activities. By distinguishing between search and transfer as two integral parts of the knowledge integration process, the paper addresses the question of how cognitive and motivational barriers to knowledge integration operate differently through the search and the transfer processes respectively. A study of 434 knowledge integration activities among 49 participants in four software development teams suggests that while search is directed both by homophily and by status differences among team participants, only status differences affect the perceived value of knowledge transfer activities. Further, the study indicates that there is not necessarily a correspondence between the status cues that direct search activities and the status cues that drive the perceived value of knowledge transfer activities among team participants.

The effect of virtuality on the functioning of centralized versus decentralized structures--an information processing perspective

Does virtuality in organizations require centralization or decentralization? We specify the coordination and information processing requirements for virtual organizing in order to examine how these requirements are met by centralized and decentralized structural designs, respectively. We use the agent based SimVision computational discrete event simulation model as our experimental platform to develop concise and comparable measures of the information processing needs of virtual organizing, and how these are met by the information processing capabilities of the centralized and decentralized structures. Contrary to conventional wisdom, that the centralized form is more effective in virtual settings than the decentralized form.

Start-up firms' networks for innovation: embedded in entrepreneurs' networks in private and public spheres

We develop a model of how a start-up firms networking for innovation is embedded in the personal network around the entrepreneur. Using data from the Global Entrepreneurships Monitor including 11,792 start-ups from 38 countries surveyed in 2012-13, we examine how entrepreneurs networking in private and public spheres is impacting (1) innovation (2) firms collaborative networking, and (3) the effectiveness of firms collaborative networking for innovation. The analyses show that entrepreneurs networking in the public sphere has a direct positive impact on start-ups innovation, while networking in the private sphere reduces innovation. Firms networking for innovation intensifies with larger public sphere networks around the entrepreneurs but decreases with larger private sphere networking. Also, large private sphere networks around the entrepreneurs decrease effectiveness of networking for innovation. These findings refine our knowledge of the functioning of start-up firms networking for innovation, especially the positive and negative imprints of the entrepreneurs networking in the public and private spheres.