Wiki-induced cognitive elaboration in project teams: An empirical study

Abstract

Researchers have exerted increasing efforts to understand how wikis can be used to improve team performance. Previous studies have mainly focused on the effect of the quantity of wiki use on performance in wiki-based communities; however, only inconclusive results have been obtained. Our study focuses on the quality of wiki use in a team context. We develop a construct of wiki-induced cognitive elaboration, and explore its nomological network in the team context. Integrating the literatures on wiki and distributed cognition, we propose that wiki-induced cognitive elaboration influences team performance through knowledge integration among team members. We also identify its team-based antecedents, including task involvement, critical norm, task reflexivity, time pressure and process accountability, by drawing on the motivated information processing literature. The research model is empirically tested using multiple-source survey data collected from 46 wiki-based student project teams. The theoretical and practical implications of our findings are also discussed. © (2011) by the AIS/ICIS Administrative Office All rights reserved.