New Methods for Studying Global Virtual Teams: Towards a Multi-Faceted Approach

Virtual teams are increasingly global, creating challenges for communication and coordination due to greater distances, multiple time zones, and cultural differences. A longitudinal research program investigating communication and collaboration in globally distributed engineering design teams is described. Preliminary results illustrate the value of combining quantitative and qualitative sources of information on team communication, working patterns, and outcomes. Quantitative data includes communication logs, system usage data, and questionnaires. Qualitative data includes participant-observation, interviews, transcripts of team events, and incident reports. Findings focus on the appropriation of technology by teams, the “stickiness” of media usage patterns, the sometimes opposing effects of group technology on team perceptions and the impact of cultural and power issues on communication practices. Qualitative and quantitative data offer distinct, but complementary insights into team dynamics, supporting the view that understanding virtual team processes requires multi-faceted research approaches.