Knowledge dynamics in Open Platform Infrastructures

Classic global platforms rely on standardized algorithms to enable the replication of solutions in different geographical locations, generating economies of scale that increase their power. However, standardization makes it difficult to account for heterogeneous socioeconomic, cultural and political contexts. This project focuses socio-technical organizations that we term "Open Platform Infrastructures" (OPIs), which bring alternative solutions to such concerns. Based on open-source codes that can be adapted by local developers to local contexts, OPIs form a global community of developers and social entrepreneurs. The goal of this project is to provide an in-depth account of factors facilitating and hindering the integration of local knowledge and needs into the code, and to shed light on how OPIs coordinate different needs to maintain a stable infrastructure. In these processes, the locally embedded knowledge of participants plays a central role. There are important coordination costs associated with their functioning. Adjustments with other systems need to be made, the needs of final users should be accounted for, and the platform should work efficiently despite its adaptation to different contexts, conflicting interests need to be managed, a good understanding of the needs and practices of local users as well as of the technology underlying the infrastructure are needed. The project follows a knowledge-based perspective to evaluate the role of technology, community and context related factors in four knowledge spaces. It combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies, working with developers of four OPIs. It contributes to knowledge-based theories of organisations, information technologies and society by empowering democratic alternative platforms, which bear promising solutions to the grand challenges facing humanity.