Within- and Between-Team Coordination via Transactive Memory Systems and Boundary Spanning

Abstract

In this article, we suggest that the transactive memory system (TMS) and boundary-spanning literatures are useful for understanding how individuals in team-based collectives can be structured to improve within-and between-team coordination. We argue that such coordination can be facilitated-or thwarted-by boundary-spanning behaviors and patterns of knowledge exchange within and between teams. Our theorizing explains how an existing team TMS can offset the within-team coordination burdens typically associated with boundary spanning and we offer predictions about how these factors interrelate to affect TMS and coordination over time. Finally, our theory underscores significant implications and provides insights for how management practices might improve coordination within and between teams.

Multiple Team Membership: An Integrative Review

“…However, because MTM often takes employee focus away from the focal team (Mortensen, 2014) and the potential overall benefits of MTM may not be visible in any given team (Mortensen & Haas, 2018), leaders may be discouraged from actively supporting MTM (Martinsuo & Lehtonen, 2009). Thus, leaders must be able to recognize when the organizational context will allow for the potential benefits from MTM to be accrued, must possess the opportunity to schedule employees in ways that support a generative flow of information, and must hold the drive to actively support this structure (e.g., Crawford et al, 2019; Gupta & Woolley, 2018; Olabisi & Lewis, 2018; Reus et al, 2014).…”

“…Furthering this perspective, Mortensen (2014) demonstrated that the percentage of time dedicated to the focal team increased team performance through decreasing membership model divergence and increasing transactive memory. Furthermore, Olabisi and Lewis (2018) concluded that there is a vicious cycle weakening team transactive memory system and consequently coordination within and across teams when the knowledge base and position of the boundary spanner are not properly managed. Thus, despite MTM potentially encouraging the diffusion of best practices and learning (Furukawa, 2016; Martinsuo, 2013), some of the challenges of competing for these resources (Cooper, Edgett, & Kleinschmidt, 1998; Dye & Pennypacker, 1999) and the benefits that can be attained when attention is dedicated to the focal team (Cummings & Haas, 2012; Maynard et al, 2012; Mortensen, 2014; Peng et al, 2013) may lessen the likelihood of MTM being embraced.…”

“…Accordingly, “some groups might profit from more than one bridging member, which improves stability of the cooperation between two groups” (Reus et al, 2014, p. 4). Put differently, when an employee is embedded within key team social network structures that span more than one other team member (e.g., transitive triads), this can increase coordination within and across teams (Olabisi & Lewis, 2018; Vedres & Stark, 2010). This is consistent with research that has shown that although weak ties may help facilitate the transfer of simple knowledge, strong ties are helpful in aiding the transmission of complex knowledge (Hansen, 1999).…”

Modeling group and individual learning: lessons for integrating disciplines and agile research

“…These team members are called “boundary spanners”. Extrapolating from prior literature, she also explored where the optimal locations for those boundary spanners in the within‐ and between‐team communication networks might lie (Olabisi and Lewis, ).…”

The Influence of Transactive Memory System on Individual Career Resilience: The Role of Taking Charge and Self-Promotion

“…Specifically, team members have their various areas of specialized knowledge and skills, and they understand the knowledge map of the group and confidently rely on one another, which in turn facilitates them to work effectively and in a coordinated manner. By integrating members’ different knowledge structures, TMS enables teams and organizations to optimally allocate tasks and maximize the utilization of everyone’s expertise [27]. A number of researches have shown that TMS can lead to better team performance [28,29,30] as well as personal capabilities [14].…”