The Spatial, Temporal, and Configurational Characteristics of Geographic Dispersion in Teams1
提出地理分散是一个连续的多维度概念，包括空间、时间和配置三个维度，并理论联系各维度与团队结果的关系，对研究分散团队的技术使用有启示。
As organizations operate across greater distances, scholars are increasingly interested in the work of geographically dispersed teams and the technologies that they use to communicate and coordinate their work. However, research has generally not specified the dimensions (spatial, temporal, or configurational) and degrees of team dispersion, nor has it articulated the theoretical connections between those dimensions and important team outcomes. This research essay expands upon previous field and lab studies of dispersed teamwork by presenting a new conceptualization of dispersion as a continuous, multidimensional construct, in which each dimension is theoretically linked with different outcomes. We illustrate this new conceptualization with a series of examples from real dispersed teams and present implications for research regarding technology use.