Managing Mass Collaboration: Toward a Process Framework

Sammanfattning: The development of new technologies, the new scientific initiatives and the new global market are giving rise to new models of collaboration. One of these models is ‘Mass Collaboration’ which is based on Web 2.0 technologies and services. To date, this model has been researched from a strategy perspective and no existing research perspectives are addressing how this model of collaboration can be managed. The purpose of the study is to create and form a process framework from existing theories, practices and approaches in order to manage mass collaboration’s initiatives and projects in organizations, and has the ability to analyze and describe those projects. This is done by two research strategies: Firstly, creating a theoretical grounded framework based on different dimensions of theoretical and technological approaches and practices, such as Knowledge Management, Web 2.0, and Stakeholder Theory. These approaches are formed in a relational model. Secondly, A real case study is analyzed in terms of the framework -Idémarken Project of Hedensted Kommune / Denmark, which shares the context of this research.The main contribution and result of this study is a process framework that addresses how mass collaboration’s projects can be managed. This framework consists of three interrelated modules that deal with the adoption lifecycle of mass collaboration. In addition, the framework confirmed its ability to analyze and illustrate real life case studies and projects of mass collaboration.