Knowledge sharing in a globally dispersed engineering service company

Abstract

This qualitative and naturalistic approach to the study explores how interaction and trust can be promoted in virtual teams and the main drivers for these teams to behave in certain ways. This study focuses on a single multinational engineering service company. Multinational engineering companies are increasingly becoming more involved in international projects that are globally dispersed and complex. In order to achieve its objectives and service clients globally, flexible and dynamic organisational structures are required to meet the requirements of the competitive marketplace. The advances and development in ICT systems has allowed the establishment of virtual teams whose members make use of these systems to communicate and share information. The challenge to team building in a virtual environment is that of creating avenues and opportunities for team members to have the level and depth of dialogue necessary to create a shared future. Issues of cultural diversity, geographic distance and member isolation can increase the challenges to effective collaboration. This study investigates real organisational virtual teams in the engineering service industry. It enriches the knowledge management literature by introducing the practice perspective of interaction and collaboration in virtual teams, and explores knowledge transfer attributes and variables of virtual teams more fully. The study adds to the operational management literature by elaborating organisational structures to facilitate knowledge sharing, and presenting important knowledge management concern associated with collaboration by means of globally dispersed virtual teams. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and a web-based survey. The aim of the study was to determine how interaction and trust can be promoted in virtual teams and the main drivers for these teams to behave in certain ways. In particular the study focuses to what extent interaction, collaboration and trust in virtual teams can be promoted and ways communication tools measure, strengthen, recognize, and capture virtual domain development. The study’s second objective identifies in what way virtual teams contribute to organizational-level learning and knowledge management, and implications for competitive advantage and overall profitability. The third objective of the study identifies specific needs for unique and innovative tools to locate engineering and technical resources, and the importance of using as many tools as possible. This study confined itself to an exploratory interpretive approach aimed at expanding the understanding of some elements that may affect virtual teams. The study limitations include the time available to conduct the survey, the sincerity or truthfulness of the respondents during interviews and the survey, relative small sample size for the industry and the validity of the research questions asked. The author may also present some bias in the research findings and conclusions. It was further assumed that the respondents would openly and honestly answer the research questions. This study highlights the advantage of virtual teams over FTF team and the significance of trust in a virtual team compared to FTF teams. The effectiveness of communication tools as a trust mechanism in the virtual team setting is questioned and emphasises the significance of FTF interaction at the start of the project. Trust is preserved by open, clear and honest communication and not necessarily a functionality of the tools. Other aspects such as integrity, timely feedback, achievement of project objectives and securing of information were reported as a way to ensure trust in a team. The prompt sharing of information and regular communications was identified as mutually beneficial to team members. Virtual teams also have the ability to increase the overall profitability of the company by improved efficiency, shared resources and overall cost reduction. The results of the study revealed that culture diversity had little effect on knowledge sharing in a virtual team and was shown as an advantage. However language difference and communication issues were highlighted as issues affecting knowledge sharing. Several of the communication tools and such as e-mails, teleconference, telephone, video conferencing, and collaboration tools such databases (PWS/CWS and network drives) were discussed in general as being used in the company. The overwhelming response was that these were just communication tools and on their own cannot be used to ensure trust. This study recommends that virtual teams have a project kick-off meeting that is held FTF. The management of knowledge can be improved if team leaders understand the social context of the team, and provide the necessary support. The team leader further has to create a team culture that facilitates the development of project goals and group norms with respect to decision making, conflict resolution, and so on. This study suggests training in intercultural communications to focus on differences in verbal styles instead of nonverbal differences. Finally while e-mail with synchronous chat or screen sharing might be better for team teleconferences, collaborative group systems should incorporate multiple media channels.