The spatial, temporal, and configurational characteristics of geographic dispersion in teams
Journal Article
As organizations operate across greater distances, scholars are increasingly interested in the work of geographically dispersed teams and the technologies that they use to communicate and coordinate their work. However, research has generally not specified the dimensions (spatial, temporal, or configurational) and degrees of team dispersion, nor has it articulated the theoretical connections between those dimensions and important team outcomes. This research essay expands upon previous field and lab studies of dispersed teamwork by presenting a new conceptualization of dispersion as a continuous, multidimensional construct, in which each dimension is theoretically linked with different out-comes. We illustrate this new conceptualization with a series of examples from real dispersed teams and present implications for research regarding technology use.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- O'Leary, MB; Cummings, JN
Published Date
- January 1, 2007
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 31 / 3
Start / End Page
- 433 - 452
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 0276-7783
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.2307/25148802
Citation Source
- Scopus