INTERNET-BASED CSCW FOR GLOBAL STRATEGIC ALLIANCES AND JOINT VENTURES

摘要

This paper presents a proposed CSCW solution to the dilemma that affects many strategic alliances and joint ventures working in conventional administrative structures. These tend to encourage people to behave in the same way that they have always done. Such behaviours inhibit people in cross-cultural situations and prevent teams becoming empowered and gaining the synergy that is an essential prerequisite to success. This paper examines the two main aspects of CSCW. The first is the group working process. The second, which is the supporting technology can be utilised to overcome some of the difficulties of the first and has the potential to facilitate global entrepreneurship. A set of parameters and requirements are described that are regarded as the essential prerequisites for use of CSCW in team-based strategic alliances and partnerships. The provision of whiteboard and discussion software allows users to easily communicate without inhibitions resulting from conventional face to face organisational behaviours. A group filing system encourages sharing of team resources and helps create a more egalitarian culture leading to greater levels of project commitment, ownership and empowerment. The paper goes on to conclude that much potential exists for CSCW to enable effective strategic development of multinational virtual work teams.