Course content
The course will take its point of departure in the global organization of industries and firms and examine how this organization is affected by and affects global virtual team work. Moreover, the course will examine drivers of MNC virtual team work related to politics, economics, and especially, technological developments.
The scene will be set with an introductory module on virtual team work in multinational corporations (MNCs). The introductory module will examine MNC global organizing and strategies and how global virtual team work and digital tehnologies relate to MNC organizing and strategizing. The Module will further examine how MNCs configure their value chains and value added activities across borders in new ways due to virtual teams and digital platforms, and how virtual teams and digital technology allow startups to embark on rapid global expansion paths, socalled Born Global strategies.
The second module will focus on AI and digital technogies and examine how thesee allows MNCs to expand and deepen knowledge and innovation work in an international seeting. The module further examines some of the challenges and opportunities of virtual team mediated knowledge work, included how work from anywhere practices and asyncronious work impacts on the dynamics and performance of global virtual teams in MNCs.
The third module deals with intercultural challenges and opportunities of global team work. The challenges and opportunities are to a large extent associated with communication across geographical, professional and cultural boundaries and about issues relates to lack of trust and identity on virtual cross border and cross cultural settings. The module will take up issues related to choice of common language, choice of communication technologies and media, perceived cultural differences and challenges of trust-building. It will be examined how diversity - cultural, professional, geographical – can be both a strength and a challenge for global team work. The module will further zoom in on management and leadership in global team work, examining how so called boundary spanners can facilitate coordination of activities within and between of global virtual teams.
During the course, students will be presented to a number of cases of virtual team work in MNCs that may inspire them to choose a case for their exam synopsis.
Students will get an opportunity to pitch their case ideas for the class and the faculty and get feed back.
See course description in course catalogue