Overview                                    

The study explores the effects of different forms of distance on team dynamics and performance. The effects of the following forms of distance are considered/compared:

–        Actual cultural distance (cultural diversity in the team operationalized using Hofstede’s, GLOBE’s, Schwartz’s national cultural indices)

–        Perceived cultural distance (based on perceptions of the team members about differences/similarities among the cultures represented on the team)

–        Economic development distance (among the countries represented on the team)

–        Political system differences (among the countries represented on the team)

–        Other institutional differences indicators (among the countries represented on the team)

–        Language differences (among the countries represented on the team)

–        Religions differences (among the countries represented on the team)

Each form of distance is measured as (1) range of values for the team, (2) standard deviation of the values for the team, and (3) average of all possible distance combinations for the countries represented on the team.

The effects of the different forms of distance on the following factors are considered:

–        Team performance

–        Individual performance, diligence, commitment

–        Team member satisfaction

–        Team performance satisfaction

–        Project satisfaction

–        Conflict and misunderstanding frequency

–        Communication frequency

–        Choice of communication media (email, Skype, phone, etc.)

The data will be analyzed using HLM. The findings will be discussed with the focus on implications for selection, training, and international team management. ”

 

Basic Research Questions                                                                            

How different forms of distance (diversity) affect dynamics and performance of international virtual teams?

Are some forms of diversity a better predictor of team dynamics/performance than others?

 

 

Submission Plans                                                                            

First draft to be submitted to the AIB conference (2012), revisions depending on the feedback received from conference reviewers, audience, submission to a journal (to be decided which one)

 

Co-Authors of the Paper (please provide your name below if you are interested in co-authoring this paper). By sinister your name, you agree to be actively involved and invest substantial time and effort in development of this

Research team:

Vas Taras
Alfredo Jiménez
Peter Magnusson
Fabian Froese
Dan Caprar
Douglas Dow
Dan Baak

 

Status:

Initial version of the paper prepared, presented at a conference; new data are being added to the database and more analyses will be conducted before the paper is submitted to a journal.