Sensemaking and organizational boundaries - Aspects in introducing virtual reality for inter-organizational collaboration

Paper in proceeding, 2014

Most studies of ICT introductions have their focus on one organization where the new ICT should support well-known activities in the organization. When ICT-introductions 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 - 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 inter-organizational collaboration case. This paper explores how organizational theory can contribute to better understand the introduction of Virtual Reality for inter-organizational collaboration. Applying sense making and organizational boundaries to the three studies of Architecture-Engineering-Construction projects shows benefits for identifying and analyzing upcoming difficulties in a structured way.