A LEARNING SYSTEM'S APPROACH TO CROSS-CULTURAL VIRTUAL ORGANIZATIONS

Abstract

Globally linked virtual organizations (VOs) hold the promise of successfully tackling complex problems and designs which lead social, industrial and technological innovation. Yet these cross-cultural virtual organizations (CCVOs) appear to be hampered by problems of communication, conflict and productivity. One approach to mitigating these problems is to ask how such CCVOs can pattern the so-called co-located VOs or face-to-face work groups. This article proposes a different approach. A learning systems approach to CCVOs has the potential for successfully addressing such issues and does so in a manner that is continuously adaptive (organic). Further, a learning system approach can turn seeming problems of CCVOs into resources for diverse thinking and creative design. The article outlines this approach and proposes not only the strengths of such an approach but also the challenges it presents.

Keywords:

• communication studies
• e-learning
• globalization
• systems design

Acknowledgements

My thanks to Soong-Hee Han for comments made to an earlier version of this paper.