Power, Identity, Commitment and the IBM JAM (original) (raw)

A JAM is a discrete event in the life of an organization … typically a 3-day event that occurs in parallel with ongoing activities. Its essence is to (i) invite (not require) employees to (ii) participate in an online discussion concerning (iii) a predetermined set of issues, in order to (iv) develop solutions which are (v) delivered to top management. Subsequently, top management may or may not implement the solutions thus produced. The Jam methodology combines a mix of real-time text analysis and data mining to highlight emerging trends and distil actionable results as the Jam is underway. This information is fed into the Jam process to enrich thinking and discussion. It combines a mix of socio-technical elements such that (a) the subjective evaluations of the online discussion, led by hosts, facilitators and subject matter experts, is combined with (b) real-time feedback from text mining and semantic analysis of the online discussion. This produces an interaction effect that results in an evolving representation of both the taxonomies AND the folksonomies at work in the organization - i.e., the way the organization is formally managing people (its organization chart and processes) versus the management / organizing structure that emerges as a function of the discussion.