Masao Kakihara

Mobility: an extended perspective

The emergence and convergence of information and communication technologies (ICTs) are fundamentally transforming the use of technology, and in particular concerning the issues of mobility. The current debates on mobility, however, almost exclusively consist of functionalist analyses of how particular mobile technologies can alleviate geographical barriers for human activity. This paper reconsiders, from a theoretical perspective, the concept of mobility. We argue that mobility should not exclusively be linked to human corporeal travel. The concept also relates more broadly to the interaction people perform. In order to appreciate the relationship between mobility and human interaction, three interrelated dimensions are discussed-spatial, temporal, and contextual aspects of mobility. In order to characterize the social topology of ICT supported mobilized interaction, we suggest and discuss the adoption of a fluid metaphor. Based on these discussions, a case of a new mobile technology system introduced in a Japanese distribution service firm is discussed.

Expanding the 'mobility' concept

During the last two decades of the twentieth century we have seen various transformations in our society as a whole. In particular, information and communication technologies (ICTs) have played a critical role in this transformation process. Because of their pervasiveness and our intensive use of them, ICTs have changed our ways of living in virtually all realms of our social lives. ICT is of course not the sole factor of this transformation; various old technologies have also played a significant part. Modern transportation technologies, for example, have become dramatically sophisticated in terms of effectiveness and usefulness since the early twentieth century. The train and airline infrastructures are highly integrated with ICTs such as electronic reservation systems and traffic control systems. It is therefore important to recognize that the fundamental nature of technological revolution in the late twentieth century is the dynamic and complex interplay between old and new technologies and between the reconfiguration of the technological fabric and its domestication [6, 27, 32, 40].This paper concerns the concept of mobility, which manifests such a transformation of our social lives combining new and old technologies. It is now widely argued that our life styles have become increasingly mobile in the sense that the speed of transportation and hence geographical reach within a given time span is dramatically augmented by modern technological developments and sophistication such as train and airplane systems. However, in spite of the upsurge of concern with mobility in our social lives, current research perspectives define the notion of mobility quite narrowly, exclusively in terms of humans independency from geographical constraints. For example, Makimoto and Manners [28] argue that within the next decade or so, a large part of the facilities and tools at home and in the office will be reduced enough in size to be carried, making people geographically independent (p. 2) and that people who use such mobile technologies, it is claimed, will be free to live where they want and travel as much as they want (p. 6). Their arguments for the significance of mobility, or nomadicity, are clearly confined to the corporeal characteristic of human movement freed from geographical constraints thanks to mobile computing technologies and services such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Likewise, most of research on mobility in the Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) field has been showing the same tendency [e.g. 5, 11].Considering such a confined situation of the debates on mobility looking only at human geographical movement, we reconsider in this paper the notion of mobility and try to expand our perspective towards it. To do so, we argue that being mobile is not just a matter of people traveling but, far more importantly, related to the interaction they perform --- the way in which they interact with each other in their social lives. New configurations of social-technical relationships resulting from the diffusion of ICTs afford various dimensions of mobility to humans interactivity with others in their social lives. We here suggest expanding the concept of mobility by looking at three distinct dimensions of human interaction; namely, spatial, temporal and contextual mobility. These three dimensions of human interaction have been dramatically mobilized by intensive use of ICTs, especially mobile technologies, in our social lives in general and work environments in particular. In the following, we will discuss each of these three dimensions in detail and implications for future debates on mobility will be drawn.

Exploring Knowledge Emergence: From Chaos to Organizational Knowledge

Abstract This paper explores the emergent nature of organizational knowledge, which has not been addressed sufficiently in the current Knowledge Management (KM) research. For the task, we reconsider the concept of knowledge by looking at four distinct discourses on knowledge; namely, knowledge as object, knowledge as interpretation, knowledge as process, and knowledge as relationship. Then the fundamental nature of the emergence of knowledge will be discussed where we will argue that human interaction is the source of knowledge emergence. Based on the theoretical discussions, we examine a case study of a fire crisis threatening the supply chain between Aisin Seiki and Toyota in Japan. It demonstrates significant self-organizing, emergent KM practices that effectively coordinated various human and physical resources and contextual information in this chaotic situation. Finally we discuss the implications for future KM practices, by considering in particularly the institutional aspects of information and communication technologies in KM practices.

Practicing mobile professional work: tales of locational, operational, and interactional mobility

Fueled by strong market forces as well as by increasingly ubiquitous and pervasive mobile technologies, shifts in working practices and the application of mobile technologies have been occurring around the turn of the millennium. One such change concerns the work of professionals. This paper discusses the emergence of the mobile professional, through a field study of more than 60 professional workers in Tokyo during 2002. The paper concludes that one must broaden ones conception of mobility and conceptualize mobile professional work in terms of locational, operational, and interactional mobility. Furthermore, some implications for a new design of mobile professional work and technology use are drawn from the analysis of the field study: ICT as mobility‐booster; maintaining multiple ongoing interactions; the importance of personal networks; and places as material foundations for interaction.

Knowledge discourses and interaction technology

Research within knowledge management tends to either overemphasize or underestimate the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Furthermore, much of the ICT support debate has been shaped by the data-information-knowledge trichotomy and too focused on repository-based approaches. We wish to engage in a principled debate concerning the character and role of knowledge technologies in contemporary organizational settings. The aim of this paper is to apply four perspectives on the management of knowledge to highlight four perspectives on technological options. The paper presents, based on four knowledge discourses four interrelated perspectives on the management of knowledge - four perspectives on ICT support fir the management of knowledge each reviewing relevant literature and revealing a facet of how we can conceptualize the role of technology for knowledge management. The four technology discourses focus on the: Production and distribution of information; interpretation and navigation of information; codification and embedding of collaboration; and establishment and maintenance of connections.

Strategizing software development: strategic management of internet service development

This paper explores a theoretical linkage between software engineering and strategic management. Software engineering is now faced with two dynamic innovation streams: technological innovation and market innovation. Harshly shook by rapid technological development and highly volatile market environments, todays software development is under the constant necessity for swift and reliable development practices and market launch in appropriate timing. In short, software development has to be more and more strategic. Based on a brief review of the existing strategic management frameworks, the paper suggests that Eisenhardts framework of Strategy as Simple Rules is highly applicable to software development practices. Through a short case study of internet service development in Japan, the paper also suggests that dual roles of beta versions, as a product and media, would play a critical role in making strategic decisions in internet service development.

Fluid Organizing of Work in the Ubiquitous Information Environment

The strong trend of miniaturization and personalization of computing devices that continues in our everyday lives has become inseparably linked to the various services and functions these technological artifacts offer. Mobile workers can do their jobs, not just informal office space, but in locations as varied as hotels and train stations. These workers are actively utilizing various ICTs in their highly mobile work practices. This paper explores an emerging pattern of work practice in the ubiquitous information environment, namely, fluid organizing of work. In rapidly changing businesses such as media, entertainment, and ICT-related areas, an increasing number of workers perform their jobs independently and bring their distinct skills and expertise to organizations on an ad hoc basis. Since business activities are increasingly knowledge-intensive, the importance of effective utilization of external professional workers is increasingly important as well. Such a pattern of organizing work practice has blurred the formal boundaries of organizations. This paper addresses structural changes of those work practices, particularly in the context of mobile professional work, and the technological impacts on those changes. The paper concludes by proposing that in order to appreciate the emerging pattern of work practice in today’s ubiquitous information environment, we should take seriously the fluid perspective of work and organization.