CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by CiteSeerX NATALIA KITAYGORODSKAYA Information-processing Capabilities as a Transactive Memory System A Comparative Study of Two Distributed R&D Teams ACTA WASAENSIA NO 196 Industrial Management 15 UNIVERSITAS WASAENSIS 2008 Reviewers Prof. Petra de Weerd-Nederhof University of Twente (the Netherlands) Department of Operations, Organizations & Human Resources P.O. Box 217 7500 AE Enschede The Netherlands Prof. Marko Torkkeli Lappeenranta University of Technology (Finland) Department of Industrial Engineering and Management P.O. Box 20 FI–53851 Lappeenranta Finland III Julkaisija Julkaisuajankohta Vaasan yliopisto Lokakuu 2008 Tekijä(t) Julkaisun tyyppi Natalia Kitaygorodskaya Monografia Julkaisusarjan nimi, osan numero Acta Wasaensia, 196 Yhteystiedot ISBN Vaasan yliopisto 978–952–476–240–3 Teknillinen tiedekunta ISSN Tuotannon laitos 0355–2667, 1456–3738 PL 700 Sivumäärä Kieli 65101 Vaasa 166 Englanti Julkaisun nimike Informaationkäsittely transaktiivisenä muistijärjestelmänä: Kahden hajautetun tuotekehitystiimin vertailututkimus. Tiivistelmä Tämä väitöskirja pyrkii luomaan uutta tietoa hajautetuista tuotekehitys- ja tutki- mustiimeistä transaktiivisen muistin teoriasta käsin. Sen mukaan ihmiset saatta- vat, sen sijaan että itse pyrkivät muistamaan asioita, pitää muistissaan sen kuka on minkäkin alueen ekspertti ja ottamaan heihin yhteyttä tarvittaessa. Tutkimus pe- rustuu hypoteesiin jonka mukaan yksinkertaisissa tehtävissä hyvin suoriutuvalla tiimillä voi olla yksinkertainen transaktiivinen muistijärjestelmä, kun taas moni- mutkaisissa tehtävissä tehokkaiden tiimien transaktiiviset muistijärjestelmät ovat pidemmälle kehittyneitä. Työssä tarkastellaan kolmea tutkimuskysymystä: (1) millaisia ovat piirteiltään hajautettujen tuotekehitysryhmien transaktiiviset muistijärjestelmät, (2) kuinka muistijärjestelmät tällaisissa yhteyksissä kytkeytyvät tiimien kommunikaatioon (taajuuteen ryhmän jäsenten välillä) ja (3) onko kehittynyt transaktiivinen muisti- järjestelmä välttämätön ehto myös yksinkertaisissa tuotekehitystehtävissä? Työssä tarkasteltiin kahta hajautettua ohjelmistokehitystiimiä. Molemmissa tapa- uksissa transaktiiviset muistijärjestelmät olivat vain paikallisia; kaukaisten tiimien osien tietämyksestä jäsenillä oli harvoin mitään tietoa. Ensimmäisellä case- tiimeistä oli vain yksinkertaisia tehtäviä, joista se suoriutui hyvin. Pitkälle kehit- tynyt transaktiivinen muisti ei siis ole yksinkertaisissa tehtävissä välttämättö- myys. Tämän löydöksen tulisi teoreettisesti olla yleistettävissä samantyyppisiin menestyksekkäihin tiimeihin. Käytännön työn kannalta transaktiivisen muistin kehittymiseen ilmeisesti kannat- taa panostaa vain monimutkaisissa tehtävissä. Työn teoreettinen kontribuutio on kontingenssihypoteesin tuominen transaktiivisen muistin teoriaan ja tapausevi- denssin lisäämistä teoriaan hajautettujen tiimien tapauksissa. Asiasanat hajautetut tiimit; informaation käsittely; transaktiivinen muisti; tuotekehitystiimi- en suorituskyky; case-tutkimus; kontingenssiteoria V Publisher Date of publication Vaasan yliopisto October 2008 Author(s) Type of publication Natalia Kitaygorodskaya Monograph Name and number of series Acta Wasaensia, 196 Contact information ISBN University of Vaasa 978–952–476–240–3 Faculty of Technology ISSN Department of Production 0355–2667, 1456–3738 P.O. Box 700 Number of Language FI–65101 Vaasa pages Finland 166 English Title of publication Information-processing capabilities as a transactive memory system: A compara- tive study of two distributed R&D teams Abstract The dissertation deepens knowledge on distributed R&D teams through the lens of transactive memory theory. A transactive memory system consists of individu- als’ expertise, knowledge on “who knows what”, and communication between team members. It is proposed that an R&D team will perform successfully, if simple tasks are matched with less developed transactive memory system whereas complex tasks are matched with more developed transactive memory system. Qualitative research design is followed. Three research questions are asked: (1) How does a transactive memory system in a distributed R&D team look like?, (2) How is a transactive memory system in a distributed R&D team connected to its communication pattern (frequency of communication between team mem- bers)?, and (3) Is a developed transactive memory system a necessary attribute of a successfully performing R&D team with a simple task? Two distributed software development teams were studied. In both cases transac- tive memory systems were geographically localized: team members knew better peers from the same geographical location than those in distant offices. Commu- nication was also geographically localized; communication patterns and expertise recognition were correlated. The answer to the third question was positive. The findings are generalizable to the similar type of distributed R&D teams. Practical implications include that special attention to transactive memory system development should be paid only when team tasks are complex. From a theoreti- cal point of view, the study extends the theory of transactive memory by introduc- ing a contingency factor and bringing qualitative evidence on transactive memory systems in distributed organizational settings. Keywords distributed teams; information-processing; transactive memory; R&D perform- ance; case study; contingency theory VII Acknowledgements This work would not be possible without help of several people. First and fore- most I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Professor Tauno Kekäle, for his guidance and support. Tauno, thank you for being patient during all these years when I bombarded you with different questions. Your ad- vice was invaluable when my spirit was low and I doubted my abilities to proceed with the research. I would also like to thank Professor Petri Helo who four years ago offered me a position of project researcher. Without that my arrival to Finland and this dissertation had not be possible. My special thanks go to Professor Josu Takala who created at the Department of Production a perfect environment for researchers. International colleagues, freedom to make own decisions, evaluation of work on a basis of achievements rather than on hours spent in the office – all that I enjoyed a lot. It would be no exaggeration to say that the Department of Production is the best place I have worked so far. I would also like to thank Evald and Hilda Nissi Foundation which found my re- search topic interesting and administered to me several research grants. That funding allowed me to concentrate fully on my work. Project tasks I fulfilled in between research grants left some time for continuing the study. Petri Helo, thank you for that. My gratitude also goes to the University of Vaasa and the Foundation of the Uni- versity of Vaasa which funded my trips to scientific conferences in various pla- ces. Those trips gave me unique chance to get to know different places of the world and meet researchers with similar interests. I would also like to thank two company representatives who kindly granted me access to their project and helped me with data collection. For the purposes of keeping anonymity I do not mention your names here but I would like you to know that I highly value your positive and open attitude towards me as a re- searcher. My special thanks are directed to the reviewers of this thesis: Professor Petra de Weerd-Nederhof from the University of Twente (the Netherlands) and Professor Marko Torkkeli from the Lappeenranta University of Technology (Finland). Your feedback and comments helped me to improve the quality of this manuscript. I would also like to thank Professor Petra de Weerd-Nederhof for her commitment in acting as an opponent in the public defense of the thesis. VIII During my stay here I have met many people who helped me to adjust to a new culture, both local and those who came here from other countries. Thank you for being friends. Without you my life here would have been extremely boring. In a bit unusual way I would also like to mention those instances when I expected support but did not get it. I am glad that not everything went smoothly during my stay here because “what did not kill me made me stronger”. Now I can cope with problems better than when I came here. Finally, my deepest gratitude goes to my mother who understood my thirst for knowledge and adventure and was not against me going abroad. I understand that for you staying alone in the home country was nearly the same as for me going alone to a foreign one. Thank you for your courage, optimism, love, and support. Vaasa, September 2008 Natalia Kitaygorodskaya IX Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 1 1.1. “What is all about?”.............................................................................. 1 1.2. Relevance of the research ..................................................................... 2 1.3. Introduction to research questions ........................................................ 3 1.4. Structure of the manuscript................................................................... 4 2. BASIC ASSUMPTIONS, DEFINITIONS, THEORIES................................. 6 2.1. Basic assumptions and definitions........................................................ 6 2.2. Information processing perspective on teams....................................