Challenges and Solutions for Managing Global Teams Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the challenges encountered in managing global teams. It delves into critical issues such as trust deficits, communication barriers stemming from language differences, and cultural clashes that arise from diverse backgrounds and values. The report also explores conflicts in thinking processes, social behavior variations, and the impact of these factors on team dynamics. Furthermore, it outlines effective strategies for developing and managing global teams, emphasizing the importance of specifying clear objectives, aligning strategic initiatives, ensuring resource availability, and carefully selecting team members based on their skills and capabilities. The report highlights the crucial role of managers in addressing these challenges, promoting effective communication, and fostering a collaborative environment to enhance team performance and achieve organizational goals in a global context.

Running head: GLOBAL TEAMS
0
Challenges of Managing Global Teams

GLOBAL TEAMS
1
Table of Contents
Introduction:...............................................................................................................................................1
Project Objective:........................................................................................................................................1
Project Scope:..............................................................................................................................................1
Literature Review........................................................................................................................................2
Conclusion:..................................................................................................................................................6
Reference List..............................................................................................................................................7

GLOBAL TEAMS
2
Introduction:
Globalization is the process that allows the companies to expand their business to the
international market. As results in increasing globalization in the countries, more and more
companies are going international and thus making different teams that help the companies cross
the borders and conduct the business and functions at the international land (Binder, 2009).
Mostly, the MNC’s these days make the teams that involve the people from local country and the
international country so that the functions can be conducted effectively. These global teams
usually provide several benefits to the companies such as efficiency of operations, removal or
cross cultural barriers, diversity of culture in the team, etc. But, this also proves to be very
difficult for the managers to manage such teams. It is very challenging for the team manager to
develop bonding between these people and making them learn about the global aspects so that
they can function anywhere in the world (Pinjani and Palvia, 2013).
Project Objective:
The objective of this project is to analyse the various challenges that are faced by the managers
to manage the global teams. Along with this, the objective is also to analyse that how the global
tams can be effectively develops in order to overcome such barriers or challenges. This objective
requires the researcher to research about the topic deeply so that various issues in global teams
can be identified.
Project Scope:
Identifying the challenges faced by the managers in managing the global teams helps in
analysing the various factors and the reason of conflict among the team. This study helps in
analysing such issues and to come up with the strategies to overcome such challenges and
barriers. The scope of the project is that, it results in providing the learner with the great
knowledge of global teams and the various causes that affect the team efficiency at global level.
Literature Review
What is a global team?

GLOBAL TEAMS
3
A global team is the team that has been formed with the aim of functioning at the global level.
This team generally involves the people or the employees from different countries having
cultural diversity (Shachaf, 2008). It has been identified that people from the same cultural
background have similar thinking and thus response to the situations in the similar way
(Mendenhall, 2012). On the other hand, the team with cultural diversity is said to be more
creative as the employees in the team used to look at the situation from different point of view
and thus resolve the issues in different manner.
Benefits of using global teams:
Cultural diversity is considered as the basis of global teams (Reiche, Mendenhall and Stahl,
2016). It is said to be the twin swords as if the global teams are managed properly, they provide
various benefits but if they are not managed properly than it develops lot of issues for the
managers to manage the same.
Some of the benefits are:
1. Since the global teams are having employees from different countries thus it provides
large opportunities to the companies to address the different requirements of the different
markets. The company can have better reach if the global teams are framed and managed
properly by the managers (Schuler, Jackson and Tarique, 2011). Different people from
different place conduct the business at different places and thus effectiveness can be
brought up in the process.
2. To attain the different site specific expertise, it is very necessary to make the global
teams. As discussed that global teams have various employees from different background
thus have different skills (Lee-Kelley and Sankey, 2008). These skill set can be learned
by other employees of the team. This allows the company to have site-specific expertise
from the employees of that particular area.
3. When a team with homogenous thinking conduct discussion over the issue, they
generally come up with the similar type of ideas and viewpoints regarding the problem.
While if the team have different employees with different cultural background, they have
different thinking process and thus look for the issues differently (Zander, Mockaitis and

GLOBAL TEAMS
4
Butler, 2012). Various viewpoints can be developed for the single issue and make the
team more creative and effective. Several solutions can be developed for the single
problem and then the best one can be used to resolve the issue.
4. As per the management perspective, it has been analysed that the people from different
culture have different skill set and thus helps the team to learn more about the global
aspects from various areas of the world (Maznevski and Chui, 2013). This developed the
team and organizational as well as individuals level.
Challenges faced by managers to manage global teams:
Normally, if more number of employees works in a team than it develops some of the issues for
the mangers to manage them. Even the domestic teams managers face the challenges but in case
of global teams, more number of challenges developed for the mangers in terms if management.
Some of them are discussed below:
Trust issues: It is the biggest challenge that has been faced by the mangers in order to manage the
global team. Trust is the basic factor that is required by the companies or the teams to be
effective in nature (Barczak and Mcdonough Iii, 2003). Each of the members from the group or
the global team provides the different aspect and unique touch to the whole team. If the
management is proper, the team provide synergies and efficient performance as a result. But if
there is trust issues among the employees or the team member, than it is difficult to gain the
effective results (Maznevski and Zander, 2001). Trust is the factor that is not generally found in
the global teams because they have different background and thus the pee, feel difficult to trust
the person who is not related to him.
Barriers of communication: It is the most obvious issue that cannot be raised in the global teams,
as the members of the teams belongs to different geographical area; they may have different
mother tongue or nature languages. This acts as the barriers in communication because they do
not understand what the other person is saying (Biermeier-Hanson, Liu and Dickson, 2015).
Restricted communication also results in misunderstanding and thus conflict arises. As far as the
manger is concerned, it is not possible for the manger also to know about each and every
language that the people are speaking in a group. Thus it becomes the issue for the manager also

GLOBAL TEAMS
5
to make bonding between the employees. The technological advancement in the communication
sector can proved to be beneficial for the teams at global level because it may help them to
restrict the barriers of communication among the members. The manager has to take the
initiative to implement communication tools.
Cultural barriers: the people who belong to different cultural background have different beliefs
and value. When they come together, it becomes difficult for them to interact with each other. As
far as the global teams are considered, they are also formed by bringing together members from
the different geographic regions having different culture, so the issues of cultural differences is
the very common problem that can be raised amongst them (McDonough III and Cedrone, 2000).
For example, Japanese are the people who believe in being formal with each other if works in a
group whereas Americans are the one who are informal and believes in friendly greetings. If the
Japanese and the Americans works in a single team, than they may have clashes regarding these
business etiquettes. There is another aspect of belief among the people that is collectivism and
individualism. Some believes in collectivism and tries to work in teams while other believes in
individualism and perform individually (Govindarajan and Gupta, 2001). This becomes difficult
for the managers to deals such people.
Conflicts of thinking: Every individual have their own thinking process and have different views
for the similar situation. This can be beneficial for the team only when the members of the team
have that much understanding to listen the viewpoints of other person as well. In other case, the
differences in thinking process leads to conflicts that is hard to be managed by the managers. It is
very common in the global teams that people are not getting satisfied with other person’s views
and feeling of biasness came into their minds (Carpenter and Fredrickson, 2001). This develops
the conflicts between the team members. It is require by them to have the understanding that
diversity should be used as the strength of the team and should not act as the weakness.
Social behaviour of the people: when a team works together, different people have different
personalities. It is not possible that every one of them is social in nature. Here, comes the role of
the manger to manage the employees and tries to motive them so that they came close to each
other.

GLOBAL TEAMS
6
It has been analysed that there are different issues in different global teams. The type of issue is
dependent on the type of people and the cultural background of the people who are working
together in the team.
Develop global teams:
Managers play a very important role in overcoming the barriers that came into the way of
managing the global teams. It is the part of the manger to identify the actual issues of less
effectiveness of the team. Following are some of the steps that can be taken by the mangers at
the time of developing the global team:
Specification of objectives and the alignment of the strategic initiatives: It is very important for
the managers of the global teams to specify the goals and the objectives of the teams and the
strategic alignment of that gaols to the overall organizational goals (Aaker and Joachimsthaler,
1999). If the team members have no idea about the objectives and their alignment with the
organizational objectives then it will be difficult for the employees to understand about the
priorities of the task given to them. Managers should train the employees or the members of type
team and provide them the proper and clear information about the task and the scope of the
project the team is doing. The proper knowledge of the task and the project allow the employees
to have clear understanding so that they can themselves sort the priorities and come up with the
ideas for the completion of the project.
Availability of the resources: It is another important element to make the resource available for
the members of the global teams. Some of the resources are human resources, technological
equipment, meeting rooms etc. to manage the teams and the resources; it is required by the
manager to identify the resources that required by the team members. This helps the manner to
make the resources available. Analysis and identification of the resources helps the team to have
the resources available before starting the process.
Selection of the team members: It is the most important step in developing the team or the global
team (Winkler and Bouncken, 2011). This is because global teams require the team members
from different countries. The manager should concentrate on the skills and the abilities of the
team members. It has been analysed that there are different skills in different people. It is the

GLOBAL TEAMS
7
responsibility of the manager to judge the skills and align those skills with their objectives if the
project for which the team has been formed. The duration of the team is also considered when
the team is developed. Thus, the manager has to decide that who have the capabilities to
complete the task and the project.
Managing global teams:
It is required by the managers to manage the global teams by taking some of the initiatives. One
of the major step is to allow everyone to speak for about their views and opinion. This creates a
sense of belongingness amongst the members of the team and the feeling of biasness will not be
there. Analyse the skills of every person and delegate the work accordingly is another major step
that can be initiated. This is because if the tasks are allocated according to the skills of the person
that the results would be more efficient. Learning is alos imprnat so provdng similar task to the
single person again ad again restricts hi t learn abot new thigs. In this situation, the team
amamners have to work cllectvely nad teach different tasks nad ksills to aech ither. Leadership is
very necessary in yers og mmaging te team. The laeder or the manger needs to be formalized
with the task allocation nad the duties of the team members, it should be properly written in the
documented form so that nobody can get confuses of their duties. It is very important that very
team member is clear with the duties and responsibilities they have with them. As discussed that
the global teams have members from different cultural background, so the leader or the manager
needs to realise about the cultural stereotypes the members have in their minds. Realising these
stereotypes help the managers to manage the people effectively. These stereotypes need to be
removed from their minds otherwise; it will be difficult for the manger to manage such teams.
There are many other considerations that need to be involved by the managers in order to make
the team effective (McDonough, Kahnb and Barczaka, 2001). Managers are the only on who are
responsible for making the team to work effectively together. Members also have to play their
part by making interactions and bonding with the other members of the team. Some of the
mutual initiatives by the team and the managers help the team to perform effectively in an
efficient manner.

GLOBAL TEAMS
8
Conclusion:
It has been concluded from the report that global teams are the team that has been formed with
the aim of functioning at the global level. This team generally involves the people or the
employees from different countries having cultural diversity. It has been analysed that there are
different factors or the barriers that act as the challenges for the mangers to manage such teams.
It has also been analysed that the managers play a great role in making the teams effective. But,
it is also required that members of the team also help the managers to make the team effective.
Some of the barriers that have been faced by the mangers of the global teams are communication
barriers, cultural barriers, conflicts of thinking, social behaviour etc. It has been analysed that
there are different issues in different global teams. The type of issue is dependent on the type of
people and the cultural background of the people who are working together in the team. In order
to develop the effective team, it is required by the managers to take some initiatives such as
specification of objectives, availability of resources, alignment of the gaols etc.
Reference List
Aaker, D.A. and Joachimsthaler, E., 1999. The lure of global branding. Harvard business
review, 77, pp.137-146.
Barczak, G. and Mcdonough Iii, E.F., 2003. Managers at Work: Leading Global Product
Development Teams. Research-Technology Management, 46(6), pp.14-18.
Biermeier-Hanson, B., Liu, M. and Dickson, M.W., 2015. Alternate views of global leadership:
Applying global leadership perspectives to leading global teams. In leading global teams (pp.
195-223). Springer New York.

GLOBAL TEAMS
9
Binder, J., 2009. Global project management: communication, collaboration and management
across borders. Strategic Direction, 25(9).
Carpenter, M.A. and Fredrickson, J.W., 2001. Top management teams, global strategic posture,
and the moderating role of uncertainty. Academy of Management journal, 44(3), pp.533-545.
Govindarajan, V. and Gupta, A.K., 2001. Building an effective global business team. MIT Sloan
Management Review, 42(4), p.63.
Lee-Kelley, L. and Sankey, T., 2008. Global virtual teams for value creation and project success:
A case study. International journal of project management, 26(1), pp.51-62.
MAZnEVSkI, M.L. and ChUI, C.E.L.I.A., 2013. Leading global teams. Global leadership:
Research, practice, and development, pp.141-162.
Maznevski, M.L. and Zander, L., 2001. Leading Global Teams: Overcoming the
Challenge. Developing global business leaders: Policies, processes, and innovations, 157.
McDonough III, E.F. and Cedrone, D., 2000. Managers at Work: Meeting the Challenge of
Global Team Management. Research-Technology Management, 43(4), pp.12-17.
McDonough, E.F., Kahnb, K.B. and Barczaka, G., 2001. An investigation of the use of global,
virtual, and colocated new product development teams. Journal of product innovation
management, 18(2), pp.110-120.
Mendenhall, M.E. ed., 2012. Global leadership: Research, practice, and development.
Routledge.
Pinjani, P. and Palvia, P., 2013. Trust and knowledge sharing in diverse global virtual
teams. Information & Management, 50(4), pp.144-153.
Reiche, B.S., Mendenhall, M.E. and Stahl, G.K. eds., 2016. Readings and cases in international
human resource management. Taylor & Francis.
Schuler, R.S., Jackson, S.E. and Tarique, I., 2011. Global talent management and global talent
challenges: Strategic opportunities for IHRM. Journal of World Business, 46(4), pp.506-516.
Shachaf, P., 2008. Cultural diversity and information and communication technology impacts on
global virtual teams: An exploratory study. Information & Management, 45(2), pp.131-142.

GLOBAL TEAMS
10
Winkler, V.A. and Bouncken, R.B., 2011. How does cultural diversity in global innovation
teams affect the innovation process?. Engineering Management Journal, 23(4), pp.24-35.
Zander, L., Mockaitis, A.I. and Butler, C.L., 2012. Leading global teams. Journal of World
Business, 47(4), pp.592-603.