The role of shared cognition and CSCW in strategic alliances

Information asymmetry is omnipresent within strategic alliances. This diversity in knowledge structure and content between team members comprising the alliance is complicated by the increasing trend of physical distribution of team members in international strategic alliances. While technical solutions to distance work abound, a strong and theoretically grounded approach to how best to implement these solutions is lacking. However, research in the area of shared cognition holds promise as an appropriate solution. This chapter presents a three-part framework for organizing research in the areas of shared cognition and CSCW (Computer Supported Collaborative Work) so that strategic alliance managers will have a resource for implementing their technologically mediated teams.