Sensemaking and Organizational Boundaries—Aspects in Introducing Virtual Reality for Inter-Organizational Collaboration

Abstract

Most studies of ICT introductions have their focus on one organization where the new ICT should support well-known activities in the organization. When ICTintroductions are aimed at starting, improving or changing inter-organizational collaboration the situation is different. New tasks need to be formed and organizations meet on unknown grounds, and not many studies have been done of this type of situation. Theories, that are found to be useful in situations when ICT is introduced in one organization, are not sufficient to account for all effects in an interorganizational collaboration case. This paper explores how organizational theory can contribute to better understand the introduction of Virtual Reality for interorganizational collaboration. Applying sensemaking and organizational boundaries to three studies of Architecture-Engineering-Construction projects shows benefits for identifying and analyzing upcoming difficulties in a structured way.

Collaborative Interorganizational Relationships in a Project-Based Industry

“…Secondly, the literature puts forth that interorganizational relationships are positively affected by the use of technology [63]. Such technologies consist in building information modeling [36], information and communication technology [62], cloud computing [64] and virtual reality [65]. Collaborative tools came in third place.…”