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Leadership at a Distance

Research in Technologically-Supported Work

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This volume offers insights from a noted group of scholars who discuss the complex phenomenon of leadership in distributed work settings - also known as leadership at a distance. Editor Suzanne Weisband addresses the ubiquitous roles leaders play, their scale of work, and the range of technologies available to them, while setting new directions in studying leadership at a distance. A unique perspective of empirical research unfolds, representing a variety of fields and methods to foster a better understanding of the role technology plays in leadership, and how leadership is shaped by the use of technology.

Leadership at a Distance begins with an overview of the challenges leaders face in the 21st Century, followed by a discussion of:

  • Field studies and innovative ways of thinking about leadership in distributed work settings
  • Experiments on the group dynamics and social processes involved in leading teams at a distance
  • Research on leadership in large-scale distributed collaborations, as well as lessons learned about leadership at a distance and future research directions.

Managers, organizational behavior psychologists, human factors and industrial engineers, and sociologists will consider this book of interest and will appreciate its interdisciplinary scope.

Table of Contents

Preface. Foreword. Part 1. New Challenges for Leading at a Distance. S. Weisband, Research Challenges for Studying Leadership at Distance. T. Bikson, G.F. Treverton, J. Moini, G. Lindstrom, Leadership in International Organizations: 21st Century Challenges. Part 2. Field Studies of Leadership in Distributed Work Settings. J. Cummings, Leading Groups From a Distance: How to Mitigate Consequences of Geographic Dispersion. E. Bradner, G. Mark, Designing a Tail of Two Cities: Leaders’ Perspectives on Collocated and Distance Collaboration. Y. Xiao, F.J. Seagull, C.F. Mackenzie, K. Klein, J. Ziegert, Adaptation of Team Communication Patterns: Exploring the Effects of Leadership at a Distance, Task Urgency, and Shared Team Experience. Part 3. Experiments in Remote Leadership. S. Kahai, B. Avolio, Effects of Leadership Style and Anonymity on the Discussion of an Ethical Issue in an Electronic Meeting System Context. P. Balthazard, D. Waldman, L. Atwater, The Mediating Effects of Leadership and Interaction Style in Face-to-Face and Virtual Teams. G. Stasser, M. Augustinova, Social Engineering in Distributed Decision Making Teams: Some Implications for Leadership at a Distance. Part 4. Leading Large-Scale Distributed Collaborations. B. Butler, L. Sproull, S. Kiesler, R. Kraut, Community Effort in Online Communities: Who Does the Work and Why? J. Birnholtz, T. Finholt, Cultural Challenges to Leadership in Cyberinfrastructure Development. C. Scaffidi, B. Myers, M. Shaw, Trial by Water: Creating Hurricane Katrina “Person Locator” Web Sites. C. Torrey, M. Burke, M. Lee, A. Dey, S. Fussell, S. Kiesler, Approaches to Authority in Online Disaster Relief Communities After Hurricane Katrina. Part 5. Conclusion and Future Directions. S. Weisband, Lessons About Leadership at a Distance and Future Research Directions.

Reviews

"This is a book whose time has come! It drives still another stake into the heart of the white hat, white horse heroic leader who saves a town, saying “My work here is done”. Weisband and company have eloquently succeeded in opening our eyes to numerous forms of leadership at a distance, all designed to prepare leaders to function on Friedman’s global competitive playing field. It is a must read." - James G. (Jerry) Hunt, Institute for Leadership Research, Texas Tech, USA

"[Leadership at a Distance] is an important and thought-provoking book…and this book should be on the shelf of anyone interested in questions about leadership in the new workplace."

"Its broad perspective, interdisciplinary scope, and diverse research settings will pique the interest of its intended audience and should also spark additional research on leadership at a distance."

"… few studies have been devoted to the concept of leading at a distance. Distance leadership, however, is very much a reality today and is a promising area in need of research. Leadership at a Distance: Research in Technologically Supported Work, edited by Suzanne Weisband, helps to fill this void… The grouping of chapters… makes the book flow smoothly, and the efficient arrangement of chapters makes it an easy read… this is an important and thought-provoking book. Clearly, the distributed workplace is here, and this book should be on the shelf of anyone interested in questions about leadership in the new workplace." - Stephen M. Colarelli & Geeta C. D'Souza, PsycCRITIQUES