Intercultural Knowledge System Dynamics in Complex Services Offshoring
Research Team: Elizabeth Keating, UT Austin Anthropology Department, Sirkka Jarvenpaa, UT Austin McCombs School of Business, John Taylor, Engineering Department, Columbia University
Globalization of complex engineering design is a component of a much broader trend in the globalization of services which has far reaching impacts on work practices and society. By some estimates, the U.S. represents as much as 80% of the market for importing outsourced services. The complexity of offshoring complex design work requires meetings to transfer the knowledge required to execute the work. Numerous knowledge system conflicts emerge which can require daily coordination. Our research examines knowledge system conflicts over the duration of three processing plant design projects to understand and model intercultural knowledge system dynamics. We model three specific processes that define the intercultural knowledge exchange environment, including boundary objects that connect the work, coordinating systems that emerge to codify knowledge across the team, and coordination mechanisms. The project relies on the disciplinary specializations of each of the research team members to understand processes underlying knowledge systems. The findings from this research will contribute to understanding the impact of intercultural knowledge system conflicts not governed by regulative standards which may create inefficient and unsafe facilities. It will help shape the policies for U.S. engineering firms and professionals, and it will provide input to the debates of policymakers concerned with the impact of globalization of services on the U.S. engineering workforce.