Communication Effectiveness in Global Virtual Teams: A Case Study of Software Outsourcing Industry in China

As global virtual team (GVT) is staffed by members from different countries working at different sites, its success relies heavily on effective communication. The purpose of this study is to explore factors affecting GVT communication effectiveness and how they work. After a review of prior studies, two aspects were identified, namely critical success factors (CSFs) and team characteristics, each represented by a series of technological, managerial, or structural elements of the team. A case study observing 6 GVTs in 3 international IT organizations in Dalian Software Park (Dalian, China) was conducted to examine the research model. Findings indicated that: 1) although GVT communication effectiveness is primarily affected by task-oriented communication, social communication cannot be ignored; 2) task-oriented communication and social communication are affected not only by the identified CSFs and team characteristics but also by task characteristics. Measures to improve GVT communication are proposed.