Title: The aggregation of information qualities in collaborative software

Authors: Désirée I. Christofzik; Christian Reuter

Addresses: Research School Business and Economics, University of Siegen, Am Eichenhang 50, D-57076 Siegen, Germany ' Research School Business and Economics, University of Siegen, Am Eichenhang 50, D-57076 Siegen, Germany

Abstract: Collaborative software supports teams involved in a common task in generating and sharing information over geographic distances. Such software is used in the cooperation between organisations, companies or individuals. The overall quality of the resulting information product depends on the quality of the individual contributions as well as on an underlying consolidation process. We therefore present different 'composition functions' indicating how the qualities of the contributions by single actors (q_i) influence the quality of the aggregated information (Q). Based upon a qualitative empirical study of inter-organisational crisis management in Germany we match use cases with those composition functions and derive implications for the design of collaborative software.

Keywords: collaborative software; computer supported collaborative work; CSCW; composition functions; information quality; crisis management; aggregation technologies; information sharing; aggregated information; individual contributions; emergency management; Germany.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEV.2013.055293

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, 2013 Vol.5 No.3, pp.257 - 271

Published online: 30 Jan 2014 *

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