Work Practices in Coordinating Center Enabled Networks (CCENs)

Abstract

Coordinating Centers (CCs) are central bodies tasked with the work of coordination and operations management of a virtual organization whose purpose is to conduct multi-site research projects. We call these organizations Coordinating Center Enabled Networks (CCENs). This qualitative, interview-based study followed two CCs in the field of cancer epidemiology over seven months to answer the question: How does a CC facilitate the work of networked science in a CCEN? In order to answer the question of how CCs facilitate work, we first describe the complex ecology of CCEN work practices. We further discuss how various stakeholders engage in different work practices to facilitate scientific progress. Finally, we use the conceptual lenses of local articulation work and metawork together with the diversity of work practices to better understand what practices CCs actually coordinate.