Complexity as a Driver of Media Choice: A Comparative Study of Domestic and International Teams

Abstract

International dispersed (virtual) teams are becoming increasingly prevalent in complex international business environments, and their ability to handle internal communication is critical to their performance. Modern information and communication technology offer a variety of media to support team communication. Nonetheless, research is trailing behind practice and offers no established framework to explain media use in contemporary teams. Here, we seek to address this void. In a comparative study of domestic and international teams’ choice of media, we extend media-richness theory by focusing on the construct of complexity. Using structural equation modelling and multigroup analysis to assess a multinational sample of 285 project teams, we find partial support for media-richness theory and demonstrate the specific relevance of this theory to the study of communication in international teams. Complexity affects international teams more strongly than domestic teams, prompting international teams to intensify their use of rich and semirich communication media to an extent not observed in domestic teams.