Setting the Stage for Virtual Team Development: Designing Teams to Foster Knowledge Sharing

Abstract

In this study, we examine how organizations can “set the stage” for virtual teams at their formation in order to promote development of knowledge sharing—a critical process for virtual team effectiveness. To do so, we build upon and integrate theories of team development and knowledge sharing to hone insights on tractable ways virtual teams can be optimally designed to promote effective sharing of knowledge expertise. Specifically, we offer and test a theoretical model that specifies how team context (initial meeting type) and team building exercises (team charter) shape development team knowledge sharing and ultimately team effectiveness. We examined our model by experimentally varying the context at team formation of 644 participants within 161 virtual teams performing a management decision-making simulation. Findings demonstrate that teams who had the opportunity to initially meet in person, rather than conduct their meeting virtually, benefitted from increased team knowledge sharing. However, incorporation of a structured team building exercise attenuated this positive effect for such teams. Results highlight the tangible value of investing in face-to-face kick-off meetings but caution managers who are keen to catalyze social norms from structuring team development.