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Group Support Systems and Virtual Collaboration: The HKNET Project

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Abstract

Groupware, and particularly Group Support System (GSS) tools, support organisational co-ordination and interaction between various organisational structures working within a decentralised market that evolves in different times and places. In 1998, 1999 and 2000 an educational project (HKNet) between the City University of Hong Kong (China) and the Eindhoven University of Technology (The Netherlands) has shown that remote collaboration can lead to successful problem solving in multicultural groups. This study focused on 178 participants, all of whom were involved in academic courses on software engineering, informatics and management using e-mail, videoconferencing, Internet phone connections and GroupSystemsT for both synchronous and asynchronous interactions. The task was to participate in a joint project on a chosen IT-related subject resulting in a joint report. The HKNet project created a win-win situation for both universities. Throughout the three-year project, GroupSystemsT supported efficient group problem solving, development of new-shared meaning and cultural attitude changes. The groups wrote creative reports that reflected their having worked successfully together. This paper presents selected results in an abbreviated form and the lessons learned from the last three years of the HKNet experience. Special emphasis is given to social and cultural phenomena. Limitations of our study will be discussed before to conclude with future research plans.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Information Systems, Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, PO Box 90153, 5000 LE, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    A.-F. Rutkowski

  2. Department of Information Systems, City University Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    D. Vogel

  3. Technical University Eindhoven, Den Dolech 2, Postbus 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    T.M.A. Bemelmans

  4. GroupSupport.com B.V., De Zaale 11, Postbox 80, 5600 AB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    M. van Genuchten

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  1. A.-F. Rutkowski
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  2. D. Vogel
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  3. T.M.A. Bemelmans
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  4. M. van Genuchten
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Rutkowski, AF., Vogel, D., Bemelmans, T. et al. Group Support Systems and Virtual Collaboration: The HKNET Project. Group Decision and Negotiation 11, 101–125 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015273727476

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