The work gap: a structured review of collaborative teamwork research from 2005 to 2015. Issue 2 (3rd April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Barley, William C.; Weickum, Nikki R.
• Is Part Of: Annals of the International Communication Association. Volume 41:Issue 2(2017)
• Page Start: 136
• Page End: 167
• Publication Date: 2017-04-03
• Subjects: Collaboration -- teams -- literature review -- black-box -- interaction -- work -- organizational communication; Communication -- Periodicals; 302.205
• DOI: 10.1080/23808985.2017.1322912
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2380-8985

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Celebrations of the benefits of collaborative teams have become commonplace in contemporary organizations. Scholarship on this topic remains fragmented. Scholars in different sub-fields use distinct approaches to study this phenomenon. We provide an operational definition of this concept and introduce a conceptual framework designed to facilitate integration. Next, we review research on collaborative teams published in 17 communication and management studies journals from 2005 to 2015. Our analysis reveals three dominant approaches to studying collaborative teamwork: black-boxes, interactional studies, and work-oriented studies. Articles published in communication journals emphasize the study of isolated interactions over other aspects of collaborative team work. By comparing these approaches, we show how organizational communication is positioned to contribute by broadening its scope to cross these analytic divides.