1. Style-based Team-Building of Virtual Organizations : The ISES case of R&D cooperation in the Utility Industry
- Author
-
Driver, Michael J. and Bosch-Sijtsema, Petra
- Subjects
Decision Styles ,Communication ,Information processing ,Virtual organization - Abstract
Virtual organizations are gaining more and more popularity, including the utility industry. Utilities and other related firms combine their competencies and other resources in order to gain better market positions as deregulation sweeps through Europe. However, the realization of the strategic potential of virtual organizations faces several obstacles. One of these difficulties is the fact that participants in the virtual organization have different ways of processing information which can impede their communication. Empirical research is here reported on how the participants' Decision Styles and their effect on interaction patterns in the utility related R&D virtual organization called ISES, primarily located in Sweden. The results include explanations of communication patterns (e.g., input volume, modes, richness and reciprocity), morale, and subproject integration. Furthermore, it was found that different Decision Styles were more or less stimulating team-building, creativeness and cooperation in a virtual organization. Especially the Integrative style was found to promote synergistic interaction among the participants: This suggests the usefulness of a Decision Style approach for team-building more effective virtual organizations through mutual awareness, understanding, and utilization of style differences as well as similarities among the participants.
- Published
- 1997