Trust and Group Efficiency in Multinational Virtual Team Collaboration: A Longitudinal Study

Trust plays a central role in team collaboration, especially in multinational virtual teams. However, our understanding of how different types of trust interact to influence group work efficiency in this context is still limited. This study investigates the development of two types of trust and group efficiency over time in the multinational virtual team context. Three analysis phases were conducted in this research: phase 1 included a qualitative analysis of an online interview with 120 respondents in multinational virtual team collaborations over 5 weeks, phase 2 comprised a general analysis of the trust and group efficiency development with the same respondents, and phase 3 included a quantitative analysis of the interaction effects of trust on group efficiency. The results provide insights into the antecedents of group efficiency and reveal the trend of trust and group efficiency development over time. The authors also investigate trust and group efficiency from the deconstructed and decomposed perspectives. This study contributes to current research by providing evidence on the development of trust and group efficiency and by investigating the interaction effects of trust in the multinational virtual team collaboration context.

     

Exploring Individual Trust Factors in Computer Mediated Group Collaboration: A Case Study Approach

Trust has become more and more important in the context of mixed use of longitudinal face-to-face and computer mediated group collaboration using Group Support System tools. Previous research has investigated trust factors in different dimensions. This paper takes the perspective of individual trust and aims to explore the new trust factors and also their detailed second level trust sub-factors in computer mediated collaboration over time. We have taken the interviews using the student groups during the two year-long collaboration project based case studies. We have validated the previous factors and found seven new trust factors and thirty one sub-factors which are associated with the main factors. Furthermore, based on the new factors, this paper has also designed an innovative trust traffic light model with suggested steps which could be easily used to help analyze the trust factors development over time for future longitudinal studies.     

电子商务市场中信任战略的建立与实施——基于案例的分析

缺乏信任是影响电子商务潜力发挥的主要障碍之一。本文分析了日本AUCNET株式会社在电子商务市场实施信任战略取得成功的经验。本文认为,系统信任、制度信任、人际关系信任以及对信任的动态管理是实现网络信任战略的核心要素。而技术的可行性能否转化为制度性的现实是取得竞争优势的关键。最后,本文探讨了该案例对发展我国电子商务市场的借鉴作用。     

论企业高管团队的利器--团队领导力--以复星集团的五人团队为例

本文首先基于领导理论发展主线的成果提出团队领导力的概念，指出其理应成为现代管理团队发展的一项核心能力；认为团队领导力体现于团队角色和经理角色的交叉域，每种团队角色都对应一种或几种经理角色，具有不同特色的领导职能，它们相互紧密啮合、缺一不可，都是团队领导力不可分割的部分。文章并以复星集团的五人团队为例，分析了其特点和对团队领导力的成功运用。     

Facilitating Collaboration with Problem Structuring Methods: A Case Study of an Inter-Organisational Construction Partnership

Despite the potential of inter-organisational collaboration to create ‘collaborative advantage’ among participant organisations, not all collaborations realise this potential due to the complexities and challenges faced by potential collaborators. To address these difficulties and increase the likelihood of collaborative success, different forms of intervention approaches for fostering inter-organisational collaboration has been advocated by collaboration researchers and practitioners. These intervention approaches all facilitate interaction and consensus formation among the participants. However their ‘added value’ is procedural rather than substantive in nature. They do not incorporate tools which can enable participants to structure the complexity of the web of factors that are implicated in their collaboration, and thus make it more manageable. This paper argues that problem structuring methods (PSMs), a family of model-based approaches to group decision and negotiation support, are a form of intervention which can provide a balanced attention to both the process and the content of inter-organisational collaboration, and reports the experience of applying a particular PSM to an inter-organisational collaborative partnership in the UK construction industry. Drawing on the rich data generated from the intervention, the paper discusses the impact of the PSM in supporting the joint appreciation activities carried out by collaborators to address their problematic situation. Implications of the experience for the research and practice of PSMs within collaborative contexts are then presented.     

Macrocognition in Collaboration: Analyzing Processes of Team Knowledge Building with CoPrA

Sophisticated collaboration software allows teams that are dispersed in space and time to work together. Nevertheless, to reach their common goals, distributed teams—and the professional facilitators who support them by intervention techniques—are faced with the communication challenges arising from dispersed settings, including task coordination and effective information exchange. When distributed teams use collaboration software, however, traces of their collaboration are left behind. These traces provide an underused source of data which can be analyzed and be used to inform the design of interventions aimed at improving collaboration in distributed teams. This paper investigates the untapped potential for understanding collaboration, and in particular, the macro-cognitive processes of team knowledge building. These processes rely on information shared and knowledge structures developed by team members which are also referred to as team cognition. We performed a qualitative content analysis applying the COllaboration PRocess Analysis technique, CoPrA, and a framework for measuring team knowledge building. Communication data was collected from 18 participants assigned to six distributed teams. While working collaboratively on a problem-solving task teams were supported with synchronous collaboration software. The results show that by using a cognitive perspective on teams, all the hypothesized processes of team knowledge building could be identified in collaboration traces. Moreover, our analysis shows that CoPrA enables us to identify key characteristics of (1) team behavior, e.g., whether teams are rather solution-oriented or problem minded, show consensus-oriented behavior, withhold evaluative arguments, discuss ideas in breadth and/or depth, or spend much effort on coordination as well as (2) behavior of team members, e.g., who show non-participation, are willing to share or predominantly guide coordination. Future research could adopt this approach to improve our understanding of the dynamics of collaboration patterns and its effects on team performance to inform collaboration facilitation in distributed settings.     

CSR Practices and Corporate Strategy: Evidence from a Longitudinal Case Study

This paper aims to contribute to the present debate about business ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) that the Journal of Business Ethics is hosting. Numerous contributions argued theoretical frameworks and taxonomies of CSR practices. The authors want to ground in this knowledge and provide further evidence about how companies adopt CSR practices to address stakeholders’ claims and consolidate their trust. Evidence was provided by a longitudinal case study about an Italian food company that is one of the largest producers of baby food. This company reshaped its corporate strategy along three decades through the adoption of CSR practices in order to win stakeholders’ trust about food safety and supply chain behaviour. The empirical exercise was informed by a literature review of the relevant contributions in terms of CSR business practices and levels of efforts to adopt them. In light of this review, the authors adopted for the research framework the taxonomy of business practices proposed by Spiller (2000, “Ethical Business and Investment: A Model for Business and Society”, Journal of Business Ethics 27, 149-160) and the levels of commitment towards CSR proposed by Stahl and Grigsby (1997, Strategic Management; Total Quality & Global Competition (Blackwell, Oxford)). The main findings are discussed in order to argue theoretical implications and identify further areas of research and debate.     

信任与战略决策绩效:对中国家族企业高层管理团队的一个实证研究

大量文献讨论了我国私营企业中的“信任”问题;许多轶闻式的证据也表明,私营企业高层管理团队成员的彼此信任程度极大地影响了其绩效和成长。本文试图从高层管理团队的角度,探讨信任与企业战略决策绩效的关系,并揭示高层管理团队内信任的影响因素。通过实证研究发现,我国私营企业高层管理团队内的信任度与团队成员间的社会交往程度有非常密切的联系,同时,信任度直接影响了高管层的战略决策绩效。     

The Framing of Corporate Social Responsibility and the Globalization of National Business Systems: A Longitudinal Case Study

The globalization movement in recent decades has meant rapid growth in trade, financial transactions, and cross-country ownership of economic assets. In this article, we examine how the globalization of national business systems has influenced the framing of corporate social responsibility (CSR). This is done using text analysis of CEO letters appearing in the annual reports of 15 major corporations in Sweden during a period of transformational change. The results show that the discourse about CSR in the annual reports has changed from a national and communitarian view of social responsibility (cf. a negotiated view of CSR) toward an international and individualistic view of social responsibility (cf. a self-regulating view of CSR). The article contributes theoretically (1) by adding a national–global dimension to previous conceptualizations of CSR and (2) by showing that the rise of CSR discourse and activities in the last 10 years does not have to imply an increased commitment and interest in corporate responsibility per se, only that there are increased societal expectations that corporations should develop the capability to act more independently as moral agents.     

The Moderating Role of Trust in SME Owner/Managers' Decision-Making about Collaboration

This paper analyzes the impact of trust and trust agents on small to medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) ability to derive benefits from it. The findings suggest that trust is a significant factor moderating the way SME owners/managers perceive the potential benefits of networks. These findings support earlier research that posited that networking provides an avenue for SME owners/managers to learn about potential business opportunities. However, Australian owner/managers that belong to networks do not demonstrate behavior and practices typical of either explorative or exploitative networks. Instead, the findings suggest that in addition to the typical networks, a third type of network should be added to the literature—embryo-explorative networks. Such networks describe SMEs owners/managers who attend network meetings and report on what they learn about new opportunities from the networks; however, they do not tend to engage in typical collaborative activities (such as joint marketing venture) as described in the networking literature. Embryo-explorative networks are defined as those that have yet to develop into the explorative networks—probably because there has been insufficient time to build trusting relationships required to foster collaborative ventures that involve some risks.     

Organizational Change in Difficult Times: A Case Study on the Top Management Team of Founder Group from 1999 to 2008

This paper examines organizational changes in Founder Group during 1999–2008, one of the leading computer manufacturers in China. It aims to reveal the basic logic behind the top management team’s behaviors for organizational change in firms facing difficulties. Results show that building a strong management team is a prerequisite for successful organizational changes. Furthermore, there is evidence indicating that top managers should make strategic adjustment, and seek solution to cash-flow-related problems to achieve successful organizational transition.     

Value Creation in Inter-Organizational Collaboration: An Empirical Study

Over the last decade, businesses, policymakers, and researchers alike have advocated the need for (and potential of) value creation through inter-organizational collaboration. Researchers have widely argued that organizations that are engaged in collaborative processes create value. Because researchers have tended to focus on the identification of organizational motivations and on key success factors for collaboration, however, both the nature and processes of value creation in inter-organizational collaboration have yet to be examined. A recent theory by Austin and Seitanidi (Nonprofit Volunt Sect Q 41(5):726–758, 2012a; Nonprofit Volunt Sect Q 41(6):929–968, 2012b) has proposed an analytical framework for analyzing value creation in inter-organizational collaboration, based on four types of value. The purpose of this current study is to empirically test this framework, and to provide key pointers for analyzing the nature of value, particularly in relation to learning. Our detailed empirical research is based on a 6-year retrospective case study of an inter-organizational partnership within an international development project for local economic development in Guatemala. The study’s contributions are twofold. First, it provides evidence of the critical path of the creation of diverse types of values in a collaborative process; second, it links the different types of value creation with the types of learning that occur in an inter-organizational process.     

Trust in Companies and in CEOs: A Comparative Study of the Main Influences

Trust is a crucial factor for the long-term economic success of a company. However, not only does the company establish trust, but the CEO representing the company builds up trust as well and, therefore, also influences the company’s success. Our study examines how different dimensions of trust (i.e., ability, integrity, benevolence, and information quality) influence the degree of overall trust in a company and in CEOs. Nevertheless, dimensions that influence trust in a CEO can be completely different to those influencing trust in companies. Companies and CEOs that act on an international level can hardly be experienced individually, and thus people get information about the company via media use. Therefore, additionally we examine which kind of media is used for getting information about a company or CEO and whether a relationship exists between media use and trust. Findings from a survey in Switzerland (n = 245) show that companies are more trusted than CEOs and that the items which influence overall trust differ between CEOs and companies. Social responsibility as a benevolence item is important for both groups. Regarding information on different media channels, users of traditional media like newspapers, TV, and radio are most critical regarding trust in companies and CEOs.     

Team Virtues and Performance: An Examination of Transparency, Behavioral Integrity, and Trust

Virtue-based research in business ethics has increased over the last two decades, but most of the research has focused on the actions of an individual person. In this article, we examine the associations among team-level virtues using data from two studies. Specifically, we investigate whether transparency (usually thought to be an organizational- or collective-level construct), behavioral integrity (usually thought to be an individual-level construct), and trust (usually thought to be an individual-level construct) can be conceptualized and operate at the team level of analysis and, if so, what their relationships are to team performance. Using Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis, we found in both studies that team transparency was positively related to team behavioral integrity, which in turn was positively related to team trust. We also found evidence of a positive relationship between team trust and team performance. Implications of these findings for future teams and ethics research are discussed.     

基于团队工作理论的供应链协同激励机制

供应链协同中存在着集体理性和个体理性对立统一的矛盾,解决这一矛盾的关键是能否设计出合适的协同激励机制。一般的激励机制大多是委托人所设计,因此他必然将自己的利益放在第一位,系统帕累托最优并不是他考虑的问题,所以不一定能实现系统最优化。由于协同供应链是一个复杂系统,其涉及面广,委托代理关系错综复杂,需要引入激励机制的环节众多,而一般的激励机制往往只着眼于解决某局部的激励问题。     

Using Information as a Basis for Segmentation and Relationship Marketing: A Longitudinal Case Study of a Leading Financial Services Firm

An important concern for service businesses is how to develop an appropriate segmentation and relationship marketing strategy that is tied to the value contribution of the customer base. This article presents a case study of the relationship marketing strategy for a division of a leading, worldwide financial services provider. The case firm segments customers into three tiers, using a framework similar to the one established by Berry and Parasuraman. Potential revenue from the customer is the primary segmentation variable used to assign customers to one of the three tiers, while the customer service response is tailored for each tier based upon customer information capabilities and needs. Although information is normally thought of as a supplemental service, rather than a core service, this case study shows how information is central to providing effective customer service and is a key to relationship marketing. The study also demonstrates how social and structural bonds can be used to refocus a customer's thinking from a cost perspective to a value perspective.     

在线拍卖市场信任机制构建的研究

随着在线拍卖市场的迅速发展,在线拍卖欺诈也越来越严重.因此,如何防止或减少在线拍卖欺诈是在线拍卖设计必须考虑的一个重要方面.本文通过对在线拍卖市场的博弈分析,给出了第三方认证机制的设计.该机制的目的是在在线拍卖环境中建立信任,通过信誉的使用帮助减少在线拍卖的欺诈行为.这一机制结合了在线业务的经济和技术方面,它采用了经济激励方式来说明信誉是如何被用来有效制止欺诈行为.     

Managing Word-of-Mouth: A Nonprofit Case Study

Word-of-mouth (WOM) is an important influence on the opinions of donors and their donation behaviors. Against a background of more professional donor relationship management, we investigate about how, if at all, nonprofits (NP) manage WOM. We report an in-depth case study of a single NP. We find that there is widespread appreciation that WOM influences NP performance indirectly through its impact on donor acquisition, donor loyalty, and organizational reputation. Whilst the organization employs networking and WOM practices, it stresses the reduction of negative WOM (NWOM) rather than the promotion of positive WOM (PWOM). Crisis management dominates the NP's WOM-related thinking. We find that PWOM emanates from many organizational influences including donor satisfaction, the welfare service itself, networking practices, external suppliers, alliances, its officers and communication practices including both advertising and public relations. We apply a new model, the eight pillars of WOM, to our analysis of WOM management in the case organization.     

相对价值法:案例与经济学分析

应用经济学研究方法来探讨相对价值法的实际应用。其主要创新之处在于:收集我国证券市场的实际数据并计算β系数的方法来进行选用;应用经济学分析对相对价值法的结果进行修正;认为价值评估要关注公司的盈余管理行为;认为价值评估要关注公司及其股票的质量;从而提出公式:大宗股权交易价值=少数股权交易价值×股票质量权数+控股权价值,并且能进行实际应用。     

MVM's Nonlinear Internationalization: A Case Study

This article aims to contribute to the international and East-West business literature by discussing the nature of nonlinear internationalization based on a case study of an Italian firm, Meccanica Valle Metauro S.r.l., that had activities in Central and Eastern Europe and other countries and by identifying causes of nonlinearities. The study concludes that nonlinear internationalization may be caused by different internal and external factors and actors; that it can occur once or several times; that foreign market exit may be temporary (followed by re-entry) and permanent; and that de-internationalization does not always mean a failure for the firm.