A business model serves as the conceptual foundation to help organizations define how value is created and captured. Organizations that leverage information and communication technology (ICT) environments create the potential for end users to contribute their knowledge regardless of geographic location, temporal considerations, and organizational affiliation. Research over the last two decades has shown that leveraging end users can be beneficial to an organization in terms of developing creative product solutions, expanding innovation sources, maximizing the potential for project success, and extending organizational processes. Consequently, organizational business models are evolving and adapting to this new operating environment, resulting in new challenges for practitioners and academics.
My research focuses on the intersection of social and digital networks and organizations, with an emphasis on three areas: (1) exploring user-generated content oriented business models, (2) using virtual network environments for innovation, and (3) identifying the factors that lead to successful knowledge management within and across the organizational boundary. Currently, I am examining engagement behaviors in user-generated content websites such as Facebook, YouTube, Dell IdeaStorm, and Digg.com.
I have presented my research at the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS), Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS), International Symposium on Wikis and Open Collaboration, and the International Sunbelt Social Network Conference. Additionally, my research has been published in the Annals of Information Systems: Knowledge Management and Organizational Learning edition and Decision Support Systems.
