Toward the 24-Hour Knowledge Factory

Abstract

The term "24-Hour Knowledge Factory" connotes a globally distributed work environment in which members of the global team work on a project around the clock; each member of the team works the normal workday hours that pertain to his or her time zone. At the end of such a workday, a fellow team member located in a different time zone continues the same task. This creates the shift-style workforce that was originally conceived in the manufacturing sector. A globally distributed 24-hour call center is the simplest manifestation of this paradigm. The true example of the 24-hour factory paradigm discussed in this paper involves groups working together to accomplish a given set of deliverables, such as a software project, and transcending conventional spatial and temporal boundaries.

Keywords: 24-hour knowledge factory, information systems, collocated teams, offshoring, outsourcing, innovation, group process