Publishable summary: This report documents the research that focused on a highly important yet largely understudied building block in IS developments, namely: the information sharing within IS networks. This research builds upon the lighthouses and followers in CORALIS, where data was collected from 18 organisations through 11 interviews and 5 questionnaires. Our research investigated routines and structures for information sharing among the project partners within each lighthouse and follower network.
One of our conclusions is that all networks follow the same logic for the decision of information sharing channel implying that the choice of channel depends on the situation at hand and on what information needs to be shared. We provide an overview of information sharing channels, which can act as a guide for the choice of information sharing channel and thus enable the networks to establish a routine for information sharing. For example, we found that the phone is used for simple or personal matters while e-mail is used for formal or large information transfers and that online meetings tools are used for immediate reciprocation and discussions while physical meetings are used for complex or sensitive matters and matters that cannot be translated through other channels. The guide can be used by the lighthouse and follower actors as well as for external actors interested in IS development.
Furthermore, an overview of the current information sharing structures for each lighthouse and follower network is provided as well as insights into how information sharing in the lighthouses and followers impacts trust and collaboration, efficiency, and increased knowledge. We also provide key suggestions for each lighthouse for how they could develop their information sharing structures and responsibilities in the future. We conclude that each IS network needs to adapt a unique information sharing structure, governance style, and responsibility division based on the nature of their own network constellation and needs. For example, while some IS networks should be governed by and through a single organisation that acts as a centralized network intermediary other IS networks should be governed by a joint organisation comprised of representatives from all network actors sharing the network responsibilities or governed by the network actors themselves with no separate governance entity. This deliverable allows lighthouses, followers, and other IS practitioners to gain insights into how effective and efficient information sharing can be structured and how IS networks can be governed as well as to apply the suggestions that they deem appropriate for their network in the future based on the nature of their own network constellation and needs.
The deliverable also provides lighthouses, followers, and other IS practitioners with lessons learned as a result from our research. These lessons learned pertain to for example various similarities and differences across IS networks or critical factors – all of which are related to information sharing and are vital for the future implementation of good practice.
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