2010
The Constitution of Collective Memory in Massive Multiplayer On-Line Game Virtual Communities: Conceptual Foundations and Design Implications for Collective Memory Systems
By Dr. Anthony Papargyris
SUMMARY
The virtual game worlds of Massive Multiplayer On-Line Games (MMOGs) have attracted much attention over the years, mainly due to their capacities for supporting educational or business related activities. Active research on organisational and Information Systems studies and Knowledge Management strongly suggests the importance of communities in the processes of knowledge sharing and organizational/collective memory constitution. However, the lack of studies on massive non-organizational communities in the virtual is evident. More specifically, little is known on the relation of virtuality to collective action, to practices of knowledge sharing, and to collective memory constitution.
The starting point of this research is the argument that MMOGs are community building arenas. These communities of players are virtual in nature but due to the sandbox type and task accomplishment scenario of the game, they are in continuous mobilization collectively negotiating the diverse meanings of virtuality and renovating their habitualized practices of knowledge sharing. In this vein, the research interest in this thesis is on how virtuality shapes knowledge sharing practices. The research focuses especially on the constitution of collective memory in virtual communities. As a result, the overall research aim in this dissertation is to address the following: “how do virtual communities share their collective knowledge and constitute their collective memory?”.
To this end, the objective of this thesis is to explore the dynamics of virtuality in relation to the capacities of virtual communities in the virtual game worlds for collective memory constitution. The research annotates the transformative character of the virtual, as providing the capability for the renovation of habitualised practices. The thesis of this research is that collective memory is the collective action of remembering and forgetting, virtuality is the experience of the virtual, and hence collective memory constitution in the virtual warrants a fresh conceptual foundation as well as a reconsideration of design options for collective memory systems.
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2009
E-Learning readiness assessment: Factors affecting learners' attitudes towards e-Learning in the enterprise
By Dr. Spiros Borotis
SUMMARY
e-Learning attracts considerable interest in contemporary corporate training curricula. As it usually concerns a significant investment, organizations that tend to adopt and maintain it effectively and efficiently in the long term, need to learn from the pioneers. Literature and practical experience indicate critical success factors and frameworks for adoption in both organizational and individual levels. This study tries to examine thoroughly the acceptance of e-Learning from employees - learners.
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2008
The adoption of collaborative technologies in project based teams: Investigating the role of collaboration intensity in individuals' perceptions and beliefs
By Dr. Athanasios Nikas
SUMMARY
The research interest is focusing on studying the social and organisational dynamics which underlie recent technological and work developments in networked organisations. In the effort of investigating factors affecting the intention to adopt collaborative technologies in project based organizations for improving project management and coordination it is interesting to study: 'How best to develop a research framework that organizes and guides research efforts as well as offering insights to management practice. This effort is based on investigating the influence of collaboration intensity of team members on their attitudes and beliefs regarding the adoption of collaborative technologies in project work'. Further, the research challenge is to study the social and organisational dynamics which underlie recent technological and work developments in project based organizational settings. Finally, the empirical data of my study are extracted from both qualitative (case study) and quantitative methods (survey analysis) by applying structural equation modelling techniques.
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2007
A Usability Evaluation Method for E-Learning Courses
By Dr. Panagiotis Zaharias
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2006
The Role of Affordances' Perception in the Adoption of Information Technology Innovations: The Case of Knowledge Management
By Dr. Konstantinos Samiotis
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