Abstract—Citizen science is a form of research collaboration

This paper develops an organization design-oriented conceptual model of scientific knowledge production through citizen science virtual organizations. Citizen science is a form of organization design for collaborative scientific research involving scientists and volunteers, for which Internet-based modes of participation enable massive virtual collaboration by thousands of members of the public. The conceptual model provides an example of a theory development process and discusses its application to an exploratory study. The paper contributes a multi-level process model for organizing investigation into the impact of design on this form of scientific knowledge production.

Abstract—Citizen science is a form of research collaboration

virtual organizations for citizen science This proposal presents a three-phase theory-based study of virtual organizations (VOs) that enable massive virtual collaboration in scientific research. The projects to be studied take the form of a VO with a core of scientists and project leaders coordinating the work of a larger number of volunteer contributors, a format called citizen science. The proposed study is grounded in small group theory and rooted empirically in case studies, surveys and action research in citizen science projects. It is directed at advancing the understanding of what constitutes effective citizen science VOs and under what conditions citizen science VOs can enable and enhance scientific and education production and innovation. The specific goal of the proposed research is to identify key lever points in work design for enabling citizen science VOs to involve distributed, diverse volunteers in producing large scale, high quality, valued scientific research in an organizationally sustainable fashion. It addresses the following two research questions: What technological and social arrangements support intellectual production and innovation in virtual organizations of citizen scientists? What are the social and technological barriers to and enablers of participation in a virtual

Abstract not found