How TRW Automotive helps global virtual teams perform at the top of their game

Citation

(2009), "How TRW Automotive helps global virtual teams perform at the top of their game", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 23 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/dlo.2009.08123cad.004

How TRW Automotive helps global virtual teams perform at the top of their game

Article Type: Abstracts From: Development and Learning in Organizations, Volume 23, Issue 3

Duckworth H. Global Business and Organizational Excellence, November/December 2008, Vol. 28 No. 1, Start page: 6, No. of pages: 11

Purpose – Describes the training system at TRW Automotive for leaders of the company’s virtual teams. Design/methodology/approach – Indicates the advantages of global virtual teams, and the corresponding problems involved. Outlines the key strategies the company adopts to overcome the drawbacks, including in each case both strategy and practice, and the GRPI (goals, roles, procedures, and interpersonal relationships) model. Findings – TRW is a global manufacturer of automotive chassis and components in Livonia, Michigan. The advantages of the virtual teams include global access to the best staff, flexibility and continuity of work, and communication without travel; problems involve possible isolation of members, lack of trust and knowledge of each other’s contributions. The four key strategies leaders must adopt for overcoming these problems are: making the competencies and commitments of the various team members visible to each other; maintaining clear and consistent work practices; assuring clear communications; and creating a team memory. Originality/value – Global virtual teams are increasingly common in companies with widely dispersed markets and operations, and even small companies now have such remotely located links. ISSN: 1932-2054 Reference: 38AC559 DOI: 10.1002/joe.20237

Keywords: Training, TRW Automotive, Virtual organizations