Title: Effects of training on collaboration: chunk sharing and performance

Authors: Stephen C. Hayne, C.A.P. Smith

Addresses: Department of Computer Information Systems, College of Business, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. ' Department of Computer Information Systems, College of Business, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA

Abstract: This article explores the effects of implicit and explicit training on team outcomes and processes. An experiment was conducted in which physically dispersed teams made resource allocation decisions while supported with a shared virtual work surface. Teams needed to recognise patterns and collaborate to allocate their resources appropriately. Two different pattern-training methods were used; one presents the patterns in discrete elements (implicit), and the other as complete chunks (explicit). Dependent measures included outcome quality, resource allocation time and resource allocation conflict. Teams trained implicitly had significantly higher performance when compared to teams trained to recognise patterns as explicit |chunks|.

Keywords: collaboration; cognitive chunks; pattern recognition; stimulating structures; memory; training methods; chunk sharing; team outcomes; physically dispersed teams; virtual work surfaces; web based work surfaces; online work surfaces; discrete elements; performance measurement; explicit patterns; implicit elements; dependent measures; outcome quality; resource allocation time; conflict; electronic knowledge sharing; collaboration; decision making.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBSR.2010.032955

International Journal of Business and Systems Research, 2010 Vol.4 No.3, pp.348 - 364

Published online: 05 May 2010 *

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