IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/jintbs/v47y2016i4p427-452.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Media choice in multilingual virtual teams

Author

Listed:
  • Helene Tenzer

    (Department of International Business, Tübingen University, Tübingen, Germany)

  • Markus Pudelko

    (Department of International Business, Tübingen University, Tübingen, Germany)

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of language barriers on multilingual virtual teams members’ choice between different communication media in their inner-team interactions. Through interviewing team leaders and members in both mono- and multilingual virtual teams, we discover discrepancies in media choice and media performance between these two settings and identify foreign language-induced cognitive load as a key reason for these divergences. Our study advances research on communication and knowledge exchange in multilingual virtual collaboration by showing how language barriers alter the process of converging different viewpoints through team interaction, by suggesting language-related modifications to the seminal media synchronicity theory, and by demonstrating the benefits of new media in multilingual settings. It also broadens the disciplinary scope of language research in international business by introducing theories from communication studies and cognitive research. In practical terms, it highlights the benefits of redundant communication, the need for an adequate media infrastructure in multinational corporations and the importance of motivating team members to use new media.

Suggested Citation

  • Helene Tenzer & Markus Pudelko, 2016. "Media choice in multilingual virtual teams," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(4), pages 427-452, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jintbs:v:47:y:2016:i:4:p:427-452
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/jibs/journal/v47/n4/pdf/jibs201613a.pdf
    File Function: Link to full text PDF
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/jibs/journal/v47/n4/full/jibs201613a.html
    File Function: Link to full text HTML
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Helene Tenzer & Siri Terjesen & Anne-Wil Harzing, 2017. "Language in International Business: A Review and Agenda for Future Research," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 57(6), pages 815-854, December.
    2. Vesa Peltokorpi & Markus Pudelko, 2021. "When more is not better: A curvilinear relationship between foreign language proficiency and social categorization," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(1), pages 78-104, February.
    3. Dillon, Sarah M. & Glavas, Charmaine & Mathews, Shane, 2020. "Digitally immersive, international entrepreneurial experiences," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(6).
    4. Glikson, Ella & Erez, Miriam, 2020. "The emergence of a communication climate in global virtual teams," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(6).
    5. Suzuki, Manami & Ando, Naoki & Nishikawa, Hidehiko, 2023. "Discontinuity of required oral and literacy skills across job roles in achieving high work performance: An fsQCA approach," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4).
    6. B. Sebastian Reiche & Allan Bird & Mark E. Mendenhall & Joyce S. Osland, 2017. "Contextualizing leadership: a typology of global leadership roles," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(5), pages 552-572, July.
    7. Tenzer, Helene & Pudelko, Markus, 2017. "The influence of language differences on power dynamics in multinational teams," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 45-61.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:jintbs:v:47:y:2016:i:4:p:427-452. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.