%0 Journal Article %J Group & Organization Management %D 2021 %T Functional and Visionary Leadership in Self-Managing Virtual Teams %A Eseryel, U. Yeliz %A Kevin Crowston %A Heckman, Robert %K functional leadership %K Leadership %K Self-managing teams %K structuration theory %K virtual teams %K visionary leadership %X

In this conceptual article, we present a theory of leadership in self-managing virtual teams. We describe leadership in this setting as a process that results in the creation, reinforcement and evolution of shared mental models and shared norms that influence team member behaviour towards the successful accomplishment of shared goals. We distinguish two types of leadership. We identify leadership that works within and reinforces existing models and norms to influence team contributions as “functional” leadership. We identify leadership that results in changes in models and norms as “visionary” leadership. We propose that successful self-managing virtual teams require both types of leadership and that they will exhibit a paradoxical combination of shared, distributed functional leadership complemented by strong, concentrated and centralized visionary leadership and that visionary leadership is enabled by functional leadership in the form of substantive team member contributions.

%B Group & Organization Management %V 46 %P 424–460 %8 04/2021 %G eng %N 2 %R 10.1177/1059601120955034 %> https://crowston.syr.edu./sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/1059601120955034_0.pdf %0 Conference Proceedings %B Proceedings of the Forty-third Hawaiʼi International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS-43) %D 2010 %T Analyzing Leadership Dynamics in Distributed Group Communication %A Kevin Crowston %A Wiggins, Andrea %A James Howison %K FLOSS %K Leadership %X We apply social network analysis (SNA) to examine the dynamics of leadership in distributed groups, specifically Free/Libre Open Source Software development projects, and its relation to group performance. Based on prior work on leadership in distributed groups, we identify leaders with those who make the highest level of contribution to the group and assess the degree of leadership by measuring centralization of communications. We compare the dynamics of leadership in two FLOSS projects, one more and one less effective. We find that in both projects, centralization was higher in developer-oriented communications venues than in user-oriented venues, suggesting higher degrees of leadership in developer venues. However, we do not find a consistent relation between centralization and effectiveness. We suggest that SNA can instead be useful for identifying interesting periods in the history of the project, e.g., periods where the leadership of the project is in transition. %B Proceedings of the Forty-third Hawaiʼi International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS-43) %C Kauai, HI, 5–8 January %R 10.1109/HICSS.2010.62 %> https://crowston.syr.edu./sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/07-06-02.pdf %0 Conference Proceedings %B Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS) %D 2008 %T Depicting What Really Matters: Using Episodes to Study Latent Phenomenon %A Annabi, Hala %A Kevin Crowston %A Heckman, Robert %K Learning %K Process %X Research on processes and practices around information systems is often best conducted in naturalistic setting. To conduct valid and reliable research in such settings, researchers must find ways to reliably bound the phenomenon in which they are interested. In this paper we propose that researchers use episodes—events or processes occurring over a specified period of time—to isolate that which interests them from the vast set of related human behavior. The paper discusses the nature of episodes in the literature and suggests particular research settings in which episodes can be useful. The paper describes a three stage methodology to identify episodes for systematic data collection and analysis. The paper presents an example study using episodes to study group learning process in distributed groups. %B Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS) %> https://crowston.syr.edu./sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/Depicting%20What%20Really%20Matters%20Using%20Episodes%20to%20Study%20Latent%20Phe.pdf %0 Generic %D 2007 %T Emergent leadership in self-organizing virtual teams (Poster) %A Heckman, Robert %A Kevin Crowston %A Misiolek, Nora %A Eseryel, U. Yeliz %K FLOSS %K Leadership %B Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS) %C Montréal, Québec, Canada, 9–12 Dec %> https://crowston.syr.edu./sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/20081204%20ICIS%20Poster_v.5.1.pdf %0 Conference Proceedings %B Proceedings of the IFIP Working Group 8.2/9.5 Working Conference on Virtuality and Virtualization %D 2007 %T A structurational perspective on leadership in virtual teams %A Heckman, Robert %A Kevin Crowston %A Misiolek, Nora %E Kevin Crowston %E Seiber, Sandra %K FLOSS %K Leadership %X Building on behavioural leadership theory and structuration theory, we present a two-order theory of leadership. It describes four classes of first-order leadership behaviours (task coordination, substantive task contribution, group maintenance and boundary spanning) and defines second-order leadership as behaviour that influences changes in the structure that guides group action. We argue that second-order leadership is enabled by first-order leadership and is therefore action embedded and grounded in processes that define the social identity of the group. We propose that effective virtual teams will exhibit a paradoxical combination of shared, distributed first-order leadership complemented by strong, concentrated, and centralized second-order leadership. We conclude by suggesting future research that might be conducted to test and further elaborate our theory. %B Proceedings of the IFIP Working Group 8.2/9.5 Working Conference on Virtuality and Virtualization %I Springer %C Portland, OR %P 151–168 %G eng %R 10.1007/978-0-387-73025-7_12 %> https://crowston.syr.edu./sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/AStructurationalPerspectiveOnLeadership.pdf %0 Conference Proceedings %B Proceedings of the IFIP 2nd International Conference on Open Source Software %D 2006 %T From Individual Contribution to Group learning: the Early Years of Apache Web Server %A Annabi, Hala %A Kevin Crowston %A Heckman, Robert %K FLOSS %K Learning %X Open Source Software (OSS) groups experience many benefits and challenges with respect to the core group’s effectiveness. In order to capitalize on the benefits and minimize the challenges, OSS groups must learn not only on the individual level, but also on the group level. OSS groups learn by integrating individual contributions into the group’s product and processes. This paper reports on the characteristics of the learning process in OSS groups. The study utilized an embedded single case study design that observed and analyzed group learning processes in the Apache Web server OSS project. The study used learning opportunity episodes (LOE) as the embedded unit of analysis and developed and utilized three content analytic schemes to describe the characteristics of the learning process and the factors affecting this process. %B Proceedings of the IFIP 2nd International Conference on Open Source Software %C Lake Como, Italy, 8–9 June %P 77–90 %G eng %> https://crowston.syr.edu./sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/FromIndividualContributionToGroup.pdf %0 Conference Proceedings %B Proceedings of the 1st Conference on Open Source Systems (OSS) %D 2005 %T A structurational perspective on leadership in Free/Libre Open Source Software teams %A Kevin Crowston %A Heckman, Robert %A Annabi, Hala %A Masango, Chengetai %K FLOSS %K Leadership %X In this conceptual paper, we present a structuration-based theory of leadership behaviours in self-organizing virtual distributed teams such as Free/Libre Open Source Software development teams. Such teams are often composed of members of relatively equal status or who are so disparate in background that formal organizational status seems irrelevant, reducing the usual leadership cues provided by organizational status and title. Building on a functional view of leadership and structuration theory, we suggest that leaders are individuals who develop team structures that then guide the actions of team members. Specifically, we examine structures of signification in the form of shared mental models, structures of domination in the form of role structures and structures of legitimation in form of rules and norms. The main contribution of our paper is the integration of various social theories to describe emergent leadership behaviours in distributed teams. We develop a set of propositions and illustrate with examples taken from Free/Libre Open Source Software development teams. We conclude by suggesting future research that might be conducted to test and further elaborate our theory. %B Proceedings of the 1st Conference on Open Source Systems (OSS) %C Genova, Italy %G eng %> https://crowston.syr.edu./sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/crowston-final.pdf %0 Magazine Article %D 2000 %T The on-line Ph.D. as computer-supported cooperative work %A Kevin Crowston %K Computer-Mediated Communication %K Learning %X This issue’s column by Professor Kevin Crowston is in response to Professor Peter Carr’s column about the online Ph.D. that appeared in the last issue of Decision Line (Vol. 31, No. 3). Dr. Crowston summarizes the previous arguments and then discusses current research on the subject of applying computer-supported work to graduate education. For instance, he emphasizes the importance of face-to-face interaction for particular kinds of collaborative tasks. I hope you find this next entry in the debate about “online” versus “face-to-face” Ph.D. programs to be a stimulating and enlightening exercise as you contemplate the important questions surrounding the future of doctoral education. %B Decision Line %V 31 %P 10-11 %N 4 %> https://crowston.syr.edu./sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/dl00.pdf