Metis : Creativity Of Global Virtual Teams Applied To New Product Development

This paper explores the process by which Global Virtual Teams (GVTs), namely groups of geographically dispersed and culturally diverse members, carry out most of their activities using information technology. Three case studies have been conducted and will be described here. These studies investigate specifically the creative process stages of GVTs and other factors susceptible to affect team members work whilst designing a creative product. The first case study is composed of university students organized in GVTs and taking part in the main Intercultural Virtual Project. The two other case studies are conducted at Capgemini and Lafarge companies, their aim is to shed light on organizational complexity of GVT within companies involved in R&D. The Intercultural Virtual Project is connected to a broader range of studies conducted to understand better the specificity of our Western Creativity based on Mediterranean Culture, namely Metis. Seven stages within the creation process, namely: preparation, incubation, generation, emanation, selection, finalization, and evaluation. The overall innovation will be described as successive interactions between the Global Virtual teams’ conscious and unconscious’ creative processes in order to develop a new product. GVTs creativity depends also on emergent states and processes: technology appropriation, group awareness and group memory. Furthermore three managerial levers were identified: contiguity, proximity and reflexivity. These levers include useful procedures in order to enhance the creative process.