Coordination in Distributed, Self-managing Work Teams: The Roles of Initiated and Received Task Interdependence

Abstract

While coordination is assumed to contribute to distributed self-managing work team performance, our knowledge about the factors influencing coordination in such team settings is limited. In the present study, we investigate the moderating roles of initiated and received task interdependence on the relationship between self-management and coordination perceptions in distributed teams that rely on electronic communication tools to interact. A field survey study of 110 employees in 40 distributed teams demonstrated that when there are high levels of initiated task interdependence and low levels of received task interdependence, team self-management is associated with stronger perceived coordination in distributed teams. Based on these results, we discuss theoretical and practical implications for distributed self-managing teams.