International Management: Early Experience in Multicultural Virtual Team Interaction

Abstract

Proliferation of cross border communication nodes and advances in the speed and convenience of international transportation has coincided with the rapid growth of international trade in the past few decades. For firms pursuing international markets, the level of international travel to meet market satisfaction demands has increased commensurately (Hill, 2000). At the same time, the environment of management has also changed. “Downsizing” and “rightsizing” have resulted in flatter organizations with fewer levels of information flow and decision-making, requiring more interpersonal skills and an increasing emphasis on teamwork in organizations (Donnellon, 1996). The widespread deployment of computer technology and the development of computer skills has generated an alternate means of achieving much of this market presence and coordination ability through the application of IT to the team effort, substituting for an increasing portion of the cost of transnational employee movement.