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Bridging Cultural Diversity through E-mail

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  • Pnina Shachaf

Abstract

The implementation of global virtual teams presents modern organizations with significant challenges, such as a multicultural workforce and the use of information and communication technology. Cultural diversity increases teamwork complexity and may weaken a team's effectiveness and jeopardize its viability. Selection and implementation of appropriate information technology may facilitate group processes and overcome potential barriers created by team heterogeneity. This study illustrates how e-mail mitigates intercultural miscommunication. Interviews with 41 global virtual team members in nine countries, who were employed by a multinational corporation, were transcribed and analyzed. The use of e-mail improves language accuracy, mitigates intercultural miscommunication resulting from verbal differences among team members, and eliminates nonverbal differences. Only future studies can determine the extent of this mitigation.

Suggested Citation

  • Pnina Shachaf, 2005. "Bridging Cultural Diversity through E-mail," Journal of Global Information Technology Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(2), pages 46-60, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:ugitxx:v:8:y:2005:i:2:p:46-60
    DOI: 10.1080/1097198X.2005.10856396
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    Cited by:

    1. Nader Ale Ebrahim & Shamsuddin Ahmed & Zahari Taha, 2009. "Virtual Teams for New Product Development: An Innovative Experience for R&D Engineers," Post-Print hal-00593361, HAL.
    2. Nader Ale Ebrahim & Shamsuddin Ahmed & Zahari Taha, 2010. "SMEs; Virtual Research and Development (R&D) Teams and New Product Development: A Literature Review," Post-Print hal-00593362, HAL.
    3. Nader Ale Ebrahim & Shamsuddin Ahmed & Zahari Taha, 2009. "Virtual R & D teams in small and medium enterprises: A literature review," Post-Print hal-00593358, HAL.
    4. Shafia, Mohammad Ali & Ale Ebrahim, Nader & Ahmed, Shamsuddin & Taha, Zahari, 2009. "Consideration of the virtual team work and disabled citizens, as promising opportunity providers for the e government infrastructure's formation," MPRA Paper 27265, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 10 Apr 2009.

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