How Ants Build Pyramids

The Concept of Task/Technology Fit in Crowdsourcing

verfasst von: Karl R. Rabes

Verlag: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden

Buchreihe : Markt- und Unternehmensentwicklung Markets and Organisations

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

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Über dieses Buch

Karl R. Rabes explores the performance impact of differing task designs in crowdsourcing, especially micro-task markets. Based on several exploratory literature reviews, the manuscript applies the task-technology fit theory and numerous quasi-experiments to show which tasks can be successfully outsourced to the crowd. It is revealed how a tasks design has an influence on solution quality taking into account respective task-, technology- and individual characteristics, and clearly delineates the differences in objective quality and subjective fit evaluations within and between task designs for micro-task markets.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

Describing the Pyramid – Introduction

Abstract

Think about massive constructions, inhabited by myriads of individuals, all working collectively towards a common goal. These constructions, which often look like pyramids, are spread all over the world and each one is adapted to the local conditions. One might already guess which individuals are described by the collective work they accomplish.

Karl R. Rabes

Delineating the Pyramid – Stage Setting

Abstract

This second main chapter begins to illustrate the first part of the overall stage décor. It does so by defining the crowdsourcing method as common ground, by that substantiating the research pyramid of this thesis. With this proviso, main chapter II defines the crowdsourcing method via a literature review, by analyzing adjacent concepts and explaining the successive main characteristics of crowdsourcing.

Karl R. Rabes

The First Side of the Pyramid – Micro-Task Markets

Abstract

This third main chapter illustrates the first side of this thesis´ research pyramid, the micro-task markets. It does so by demarcating micro-task markets as one manifestation of the crowdsourcing concept, for that using an evaluative literature review. With this proviso, main chapter III then defines micro-task markets as independent research field by comparing different definitions, and explaining successive main characteristics.

Karl R. Rabes

The Second Side of the Pyramid – Task-Technology Fit

Abstract

This fourth main chapter illustrates the second side of this thesis´ research pyramid. It does so by delineating the task-technology fit theory via a literature review. With this proviso, the theoretical foundation is first delimited from adjacent concepts. Following, the literature review defines the task-technology theory itself, before focusing each attribute of the theoretical model.

Karl R. Rabes

The Third Side of the Pyramid – Task Complexity

Abstract

This fifth main chapter illustrates the third and therefore last side of this thesis´ research pyramid. It does so by outlining a definition and distinctive categorization of tasks via a literature review. With this proviso, the first part of this chapter introduces a set of rules to differentiate five different task types. Following, the second part of this chapter accordingly differentiates three different types of task formulations, an attribute necessary to separate different tasks from one another.

Karl R. Rabes

Combining the Sides – Research Design

Abstract

This sixth main chapter now presents the combination of all insights outlined in the previous main chapters into a coherent research design. It does so by relating the content up to here, thereby recapitulating the research question, the theoretical foundation, the research field, as well as the research object. With this proviso, main chapter VI proceeds by discussing the method applied to test the research design in a real-world setting.

Karl R. Rabes

Discovering the Pyramid Results

Abstract

This seventh main chapter presents the results obtained from testing the model proposed in the previous main chapter. It does so by first outlining the overall results and the methodology regarding the statistical analysis. Following it depicts the respective objective outputs alongside the corresponding subjective user evaluations, discerning between the four task types – simple tasks, problem tasks, decision tasks, and judgement tasks. The respective outputs of the quasi-experiments are first compared thereby within the corresponding task type, meaning that the outputs of the three formulation alternatives of one task type are compared against each other.

Karl R. Rabes

Declaring the Pyramid - Conclusion

Abstract

The benefits of micro-task markets are manifold, as the success of the phenomenon and its adjacent concepts prove nowadays. The overarching and primal benefit is yet the heterogeneously distributed knowledge of individuals within the crowd (Hargadon & Bechky, 2006; Heylighen, 1999; Lakhani, 2006b). Knowledge is not uniformly distributed due to information stickiness, which facilitates a “distributed problem solving setting” (Lakhani, 2006a, p. 2454) where the crowd can suggest solutions independently of the initiator and related problem solving heuristics. Independence or lack of knowledge towards established problem solving heuristics also explains the benefits of the crowd compared to databases.

Karl R. Rabes

Backmatter

Titel: How Ants Build Pyramids
verfasst von: Karl R. Rabes
Verlag: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-658-27439-9
Print ISBN: 978-3-658-27438-2
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-27439-9