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Geopolitics of Shared Cognitionin Globally Distributed Teams

Marietta L. BabaProfessor of AnthropologyDean of Social ScienceMichigan State University

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Globally Distributed Team (GDT)

Definition:An interdependent work group comprised of culturally diverse members based in two or more nations who share a collective responsibility for making or implementing decisions related to a firm’s global strategyRelies on technology as a medium for communication and coordination

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Key Constructs

Knowledge: Aspect of cognition whose accuracy or correctness has been validated externally

Culturally constructed

Cognitive convergence: A process by which individual cognitive structures become more similar or overlapping

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The GDT Paradox

Requirement: GDT members share and integrate explicit and tacit knowledge, and create new knowledge that adds valueReality: Non-conducive conditions

Unshared contexts across teamCultural differences in cognition

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Research Questions

1. What factors influence cognitive convergence on a GDT?

2. How are convergence and divergence balanced?

3. What mechanisms mediate cognition and performance on a GDT?

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13 Months24 Months4US19Launch New Product

Texaron (NPL)

5 Months3 Months8US12Leadership Development

Ramtech (CPS)

6 Months@ 18 Months

3France72nd Gen Product

HTM (ISO)

7 Months24 Months3France9ProductImprovement

HTM (TP8)

14 Months1999 –ongoing

7US20Marketing Strategy

Celestial Corp.(French Customer)

5 Months8 Months2Sweden

US4

Secure NPD Contract

Automotive Supply Corp.(Japan Co New Biz)

Durationof Study

Duration of Teams

DistributedLocations

HomeBase

SizeTeam

PurposeCorporation

(Team)

GDT Data BaseGDT Data Base

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GDT Patterns of CognitionGDT Patterns of Cognition

Convergence

Divergence

CCognition

PPerformance

TTime

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Geographic Distribution PatternsGeographic Distribution Patterns

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Case Study Highlights

Celestial Global Customer TeamUS consumer products manufacturing firm New GDT dedicated to improving business relations with a major global retail customer based in France (marketing strategy)Part of a global reorganization project20 team members, primarily French, American, and Belgian, with a core subgroup in Paris and others in US, Brussels, Latin America, and Asia

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Case Study Highlights

American global strategy: transfer a proven marketing management method to French retail customer, Voila Product Family Management (PFM)

Creates a business plan around a product familyMultifunctional partner team leads projectGrounded in detailed shopper research that drives store-level decision makingRequires close collaboration between manufacturer and retailer

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Contrasting Business Models

PFM business modelMulti-skilled team with strong leaderClose partnershipOpen and direct access to customerAnglophone

Voila business modelPowerful functional managersArms’ lengthAccess to customer via hierarchy Francophone

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Case Study Highlights

PFM pilot test set up in a Voila store in AsiaHard business results would prove conceptGlobal network assembled to run pilot

Anxious Voila middle managers champion a “French Way” to do PFM

Enlist French members of Celestial GDTFormer French team leader signs up to help

Warring factions break out on GDTPower struggle between Fr and Am leaders

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Case Study Highlights

Voila executives reject successful pilot test results, much to Americans’ surpriseAm GDT leader orders merger of Fr and Am projects “Videoconference from Hell”

Threat of career ruination for GDT members

Shuttle diplomacy surfaces hidden knowledge within GDT; learning from experience

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Case Study Highlights

Fr leader leaves and Am takes overEnd of power struggle

Evidence of increase in convergence and decrease in divergence

Negotiation of consensus on PFM Behavioral convergence • New structure for GDT

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Geographic Distribution Patterns

Fault LineCo-occurrence of multiple forms of difference in one placeDifferentiated from other such co-occurrencesStrong identity

Power ClusterConcentration of people on the groundCo-located with key corporate resources (e.g., HQ)Agents with agendas

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ñ-1Celestial Corp. (French Customer) - End

ô-2Texaron (NPL)

ò+2Automotive Supply Corp.(Japan Co New Biz)

ò+1HTM (ISO)

ò+2Celestial Corp. (French Customer) - Start

ñ-1HTM (TP8)

ñ-0Ramtech (CPS)

PerformanceStrong Fault Lines

Power Clusters

GDT

Geopolitical PatternsGeopolitical Patterns

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Agency

All successful cases involved active agency aimed at shared cognition

E.g., Ramtech CPS Team

Convergence is partly a function of the agents’ manipulation (“mastermind”)Political agendas played out on global stagePlayers with global reach trump others

Worldwide scope of action; “colonization” of others’ territory; cosmopolitan competency