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Proceedings of the 12th European Conference on Knowledge ...

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3.4 Overall Analysis and Triangulati<strong>on</strong><br />

Claudia Jooß et al<br />

With <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> approach <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Grounded Theory (Glaser & Strauss 2008, Strauss & Corbin 1996, Strübing<br />

2008), which depicts a widespread method for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> development <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> organizati<strong>on</strong>al management<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ories and models, a data based <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ory can be developed to illustrate <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> complex social reality by<br />

data. Because <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this, a data triangulati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> three introduced methodologies is necessary. During<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> process <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> triangulati<strong>on</strong>, hypo<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ses are formulated defining cross secti<strong>on</strong>al measures that aim at<br />

ensuring <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> high quality <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> scientific output at a certain phase <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> network development (initial phase,<br />

stable phase and steady phase) (Ahrens et al. 2004).<br />

4. Discussi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> preliminary results<br />

Cross Secti<strong>on</strong>al Processes in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Cluster <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Excellence “Integrative Producti<strong>on</strong> Technology for High-<br />

Wage Countries” at RWTH Aachen University provide cluster-specific means <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> learning and<br />

knowledge management to support <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> high quality <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> scientific output in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> cluster. The following<br />

preliminary results <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> yearly performance measurement, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> direct evaluati<strong>on</strong>s and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> structured<br />

interviews outlined several aspects that have to be c<strong>on</strong>sidered:<br />

Through <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> triangulated data analysis <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> importance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> more intensive cross secti<strong>on</strong>al activities<br />

<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> four core Integrated Cluster Domains (ICDs) was underlined for a successful<br />

cluster development. Following <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> results <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> data, especially in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> initial phase <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> cluster,<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> work <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> single ICDs has to be initialized and supported e. g. through regular<br />

ICD-meetings in order to foster <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> exchange <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> sub-project leaders and researchers.<br />

As a reacti<strong>on</strong> to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> results <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Balanced-Scorecard-based evaluati<strong>on</strong>s from 2008 to 2010, an<br />

optimizati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> interlinking <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> different ICDs was advised. This was realized through so called<br />

‘dem<strong>on</strong>strators’ by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> cluster management board. Dem<strong>on</strong>strators can be described as highly<br />

cross linked sub-projects integrating researchers from different ICDs and/or single partners from<br />

industry to foster cross secti<strong>on</strong>al scientific exchange <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong>e hand and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> integrati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

applied research <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r hand.<br />

Fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r figures from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> analysed data made obvious that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> pers<strong>on</strong>al benefit for researchers<br />

participating in meetings decreases with an augmenting number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> participants in meetings.<br />

C<strong>on</strong>sidering that, a str<strong>on</strong>ger implementati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> regular meetings with smaller groups <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

participants (e. g. sub-projects and ICDs) has to be favoured to foster <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> interdisciplinary<br />

cooperati<strong>on</strong> instead <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> too many meetings <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a general assembly.<br />

Especially following <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> interview statements <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> project leaders, a new definiti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> role <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

project leaders as knowledge agents has to be aspired, because it is mainly this group that<br />

integrates and transfers project-specific knowledge into <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> ICD and o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r parts <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Cluster <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

Excellence.<br />

Moreover, with regard to o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r forms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> cross linking actors within <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> cluster, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> data analyses <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Cross Secti<strong>on</strong>al Processes revealed that although <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re is a high awareness am<strong>on</strong>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

researchers about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> need <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> digital tools to network different actors, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> current networking<br />

devices are not used regularly (e. g. <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> comm<strong>on</strong> data platform). Possible soluti<strong>on</strong>s thus comprise<br />

e. g. a str<strong>on</strong>ger integrati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> data platform into <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficial cluster homepage, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> integrati<strong>on</strong><br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a semantic web into <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> data platform to c<strong>on</strong>nect c<strong>on</strong>tents with single scientists and projects or<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> integrati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> calendar functi<strong>on</strong>s for comm<strong>on</strong> appointments and seminars with regard to<br />

advanced training activities.<br />

In general a more interactive form <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> digital networking is desired following <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> data analyses and<br />

seems to be promising c<strong>on</strong>sidering an increase <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> interdisciplinary cooperati<strong>on</strong> as well as <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

scientific output.<br />

As an overall cross secti<strong>on</strong>al measure, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> regular implementati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Balanced-Scorecard-<br />

Approach has been shown as important to c<strong>on</strong>trol <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> research paths <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Cluster <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Excellence<br />

in all development phases <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> network by means <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a comparable comm<strong>on</strong> data set. The<br />

performance measurement tool enables a reflecti<strong>on</strong> and redesign <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> already introduced<br />

operati<strong>on</strong>al activities <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong>e hand and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> adjustment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> l<strong>on</strong>g-term management strategies <strong>on</strong><br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r hand. Referring to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> process <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> critical examining l<strong>on</strong>g-term strategies, Kaplan and<br />

Nort<strong>on</strong> speak <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> “Double-Loop-Learning” (Kaplan & Nort<strong>on</strong> 1997).<br />

With regard to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> producti<strong>on</strong> engineering focus <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> cluster, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Balanced-Scorecard-Approach<br />

thus enables <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> regular measurement <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> status quo to support <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> high quality <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

scientific output or <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> training <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> excellent researchers. Although <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> process <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> double-loop-<br />

485

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