was to develop global databases on topics related to HR.
Advantages of collaborative work with data
Collaborative work allows us to go where we couldn't go by ourselves. If addressed
properly, collaboration can have a positive impact on the different stages of the data
lifecycle —from data collection to sharing. Here we present some advantages of
collaborative work with data:
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We enlarge our data collection range: we can collect data from places where we
don’t have staff or offices.
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Data collected and processed collaboratively provides us a bigger picture which
allows us to get a comprehensive understanding of global and local dynamics.
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If we collect data collaboratively and systematically we increase our chances to
perform comparative analysis across locations or contexts.
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Global data maximizes our advocacy impact.
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Multicultural and multidisciplinary teams offer more diverse and culturally sensitive
approaches for work.
Challenges of collaborative work with data
All the advantages mentioned above depend greatly on our ability to anticipate risks and
take action to ensure all the network members are well coordinated. Next, we present
some of the most common challenges we will face when working collaboratively with data:
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Data collection is made at the local level, which can be distant to the decisionmaking level.
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Hierarchical networks have clear rules for the whole data management process, but
less ability to react or adapt to local scenarios. Centralized decisions require topdown communication to reach all nodes. Decentralized networks are more likely to
cope with local needs, but they make it more difficult to homogenize criteria.
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Rigid criteria (regarding data structures and definitions) facilitate data processing
and analysis, but sometimes are not capable of covering all the scenarios. Flexible
criteria can adapt to special circumstances, but heterogeneous data is more difficult
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