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The spatial, temporal, and configurational characteristics of geographic dispersion in teams

Publication ,  Journal Article
O'Leary, MB; Cummings, JN
Published in: MIS Quarterly: Management Information Systems
January 1, 2007

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.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

MIS Quarterly: Management Information Systems

DOI

ISSN

0276-7783

Publication Date

January 1, 2007

Volume

31

Issue

3

Start / End Page

433 / 452

Related Subject Headings

  • Information Systems
  • 4609 Information systems
  • 3503 Business systems in context
  • 1503 Business and Management
  • 1402 Applied Economics
  • 0806 Information Systems
 

Citation

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O’Leary, M. B., & Cummings, J. N. (2007). The spatial, temporal, and configurational characteristics of geographic dispersion in teams. MIS Quarterly: Management Information Systems, 31(3), 433–452. https://doi.org/10.2307/25148802
O’Leary, M. B., and J. N. Cummings. “The spatial, temporal, and configurational characteristics of geographic dispersion in teams.” MIS Quarterly: Management Information Systems 31, no. 3 (January 1, 2007): 433–52. https://doi.org/10.2307/25148802.
O’Leary MB, Cummings JN. The spatial, temporal, and configurational characteristics of geographic dispersion in teams. MIS Quarterly: Management Information Systems. 2007 Jan 1;31(3):433–52.
O’Leary, M. B., and J. N. Cummings. “The spatial, temporal, and configurational characteristics of geographic dispersion in teams.” MIS Quarterly: Management Information Systems, vol. 31, no. 3, Jan. 2007, pp. 433–52. Scopus, doi:10.2307/25148802.
O’Leary MB, Cummings JN. The spatial, temporal, and configurational characteristics of geographic dispersion in teams. MIS Quarterly: Management Information Systems. 2007 Jan 1;31(3):433–452.

Published In

MIS Quarterly: Management Information Systems

DOI

ISSN

0276-7783

Publication Date

January 1, 2007

Volume

31

Issue

3

Start / End Page

433 / 452

Related Subject Headings

  • Information Systems
  • 4609 Information systems
  • 3503 Business systems in context
  • 1503 Business and Management
  • 1402 Applied Economics
  • 0806 Information Systems