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Dispersed multinational teams include people from multiple nations, some of whom are not collocated. In a knowledge economy, such teams must locate, store, allocate, and retrieve knowledge. Three central questions are: (a) How can dispersed multinational teams manage knowledge resource flows? (b) What factors influence knowledge resource distribution in these teams? and (c) How do dispersed multinational teams evolve over time? This chapter examines knowledge resource sharing in multinational teams through three theoretical lenses: transactive memory theory, collective action theory, and evolutionary theory, and concludes with practical suggestions for managing dispersed multinational teams that are derived from these three theoretical lenses.

Managing a large multinational team such as the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) project (ongoing since the early 1990s) presents numerous leadership, communication and organization challenges. This chapter discusses the challenges that occurred in the GLOBE project owing to: (a) the long-term nature of the project, (b) the evolving (growing) size of the GLOBE team, (c) the large membership size of the GLOBE team, (d) the virtual nature of the team's communications, and (e) the cultural differences of the GLOBE participants. Survey responses from 50 researchers regarding their experiences in GLOBE help document our experiences. Because these challenges will be encountered by other multinational teams, we provide recommendations for forming and maintaining successful multinational teams.

We examined the effects of group structure and electronic communication patterns on the performance of 18 multinational teams over an 8-month period. The teams were composed of a mix of Western and non-Western executives located throughout the world. In these highly diverse teams, team performance did not vary as a function of demographic heterogeneity; however, demographic homogeneity within the teams’ subgroups negatively affected team performance. The following communication patterns were associated with better team performance: a hierarchical communication structure, expressions of trust in the team's competence, references to the self, and information-providing statements.

Management teambuilding within a multinational enterprise is greatly enhanced if the interactive style reflected by each person is considered. The blend of behavioral styles can affect the collective achievements of the entire management team, as well as the accomplishments of each member of the team. In this context, behavioral style is a pervasive and enduring set of interpersonal characteristics focussing on how one acts ‐ on what one says and does. As noted in this article, there are four behavioral styles ‐ Relater, Analyzer, Director, Socializer ‐ no one of which is necessarily better or worse than any other. Effective management leadership teams are made up of and value individuals who reflect each of the four styles. In fact, it can be stated that the most productive leadership team in the multinational firm will usually have a balance of individuals who reflect each behavioral style. The functional dynamics of the team are thereby affected by the styles of its members; and, of course, each of the styles has strengths as well as characteristic weaknesses. Each of the behavioral styles also has a typical back‐up style that is the mode of behavior shifted into at the time individuals experience high levels of stress. The concept of behavioral style and a consideration of its elements are useful in helping to understand oneself and the interpersonal behaviors of others. However, it is not enough just to understand one’s behavior or the behavior of others in the multinational management team; one should also seek to adapt the skills of style flex than can enable the parties to function in a comfort zone congruent with the situation. Style flex thereby provides a way of interacting and communicating within another person’s comfort zone without losing one’s integrity or naturalness of expression. In short, style flex is a key to interacting effectively in the multinational enterprise.

In this chapter we question whether current conceptualizations of global leadership competencies adequately address the dynamic and complex nature of the multinational team (MNT) context. We report findings from a study that incorporated the perspectives of MNT leaders as well as members on MNT leadership. We asked MNT leaders and their team members to identify the competencies that they believe are needed for effectively managing MNTs. The findings from this study promise to enhance our understanding about the specific nature of the MNT context, as viewed by the two parties that are at the frontline of multinational teamwork: team members and leaders. We use this dual perspective to clarify global competencies that MNT leaders may need to develop in themselves, and to propose a framework that may assist multinational organizations in identifying, rewarding, and developing MNT leaders.

In this study, micro-foundations of strategy as the theoretical framework to study the effect of managers’ individual characteristics on multinational team performance are adopted. In particular, the purpose of this paper is to study managers’ multilingual communication abilities and multicultural background, and their role in, respectively, effectively reconfiguring team human assets and sensing cognitively distant opportunities and threats.

This study uses national football teams competing in national and international competitions and their coaches’ characteristics as the data set to test the theory. Using random coefficient modeling and ordinary least square regression, this paper analyzes two samples of 222 and 79 teams and found that both these characteristics contribute to team performance; however, their effects differ depending on the team environment.

Multicultural managers contribute positively to team performance only when the team is operating in a highly diverse environment, their effect is not statistically significant in homogeneous environments. In less diverse environments, it is the multilingual manager who can improve team performance through more efficient communication and greater effects of leadership on the team.

Managers’ characteristics such as their multicultural background and multilingual capabilities affect team performance. In particular, these effects come into play in highly diverse and international settings. Micro-foundation literature is advised to focus on the internationalization and multicultural backgrounds of managers as a precursor for organizational international performance.

Assessing the literature on top management teams (TMTs) published through 2004, we found a predominantly U.S.-centric set of studies on TMTs and the upper echelons perspective (Hambrick & Mason, 1984). Through 1996, this literature was virtually silent on the impact of increasing globalization of economic transactions on TMTs – surprising given emphases in strategy on multinational firms, their organizational forms, and modes of entry into foreign markets. We identify critical areas for research on international dimensions of TMTs, their relationships to national and organizational contexts, and their influence on firm outcomes in a world increasingly populated by firms addressing global markets.

Traditional multinational team (MNT) research has concentrated on negative phenomena such as in-group/out-group distinctions, social loafing, and pressures for convergence. In contrast, we examine instances where MNT members exhibit cross-national inclusive behavior, cross-national responsiveness, and cross-national divergence of ideas, which in turn result in positive outcomes such as cohesion, trust, and innovation. Furthermore, we identify important catalyzing mechanisms that effectively encourage these functional behaviors. For example, we highlight the importance of social categorization based on common group membership, social comparisons to referent others outside the team from other nations, and suspension of attributions based on national stereotypes – all of which will help turn the tide of the current research on MNTs.

The negative cultural bias vis-à-vis international business and cross-cultural management has been duly acknowledged, necessitating recommendations towards investigating its positive effects. Methodologically, quantitative research clearly predominates, and there have been calls for alternative approaches. Thus, this conceptual paper addresses the research gap (methodological and thematic) by investigating if multicultural teams can be an essential part of the global workforce and whether positive effects exist regarding dynamic capabilities, learning and knowledge transfer.

The underlying ethnographic research design enabled exploring within the embedded single case study from an emic perspective, including qualitative observation and semi-structured expert interviews, and provided detailed insights into the company’s multicultural work environment.

The results reveal that applying a qualitative design allowed the needed exploration and show that multicultural, geographically dispersed teams are positively experienced and considered necessary in today’s globalised world. They are likely to increase in the future. Moreover, dynamic capabilities (multicultural competencies) are indispensable for multicultural teamwork. Regarding learning opportunities, different viewpoints for discussion and the ability to reflect on these offer valuable insights. In line with theory, multiculturality is considered a “two-edged sword”, providing simultaneous benefits and challenges. Contrary to the theory, even highly important information transfers can occur virtually, although occasional physical contact is essential for trust building.

The multinational family business offers a unique example of a positive relationship between multiculturalism and organisational excellence and demonstrates how the application of a qualitative methodology can support theory building by delivering a revised model of dynamic capabilities in multicultural environments with geographical dispersion.