Beyond Being There: The Symbolic Role of Communication and Identification in the Emergence of Perceived Proximity in Geographically Dispersed Work

ESSEC Working Paper 1112

34 Pages Posted: 10 Sep 2013

See all articles by Michael Boyer O'Leary

Michael Boyer O'Leary

Georgetown University - Department of Management

Jeanne M. Wilson

College of William and Mary - Mason School of Business

Anca Metiu

INSEAD - Organisational Behavior

Date Written: January 18, 2012

Abstract

We develop the concept of perceived proximity, understood as a symbolic representation of one’s faraway coworkers. We build on Wilson et al. (2008), present new validated measures of perceived proximity, and compare how perceived proximity and objective distance relate to relationship outcomes between geographically dispersed work colleagues. Our results show strong support for a symbolic view of work relationships. Indeed, it is the symbolic meaning of proximity and not physical proximity itself that affects relationship outcomes. Also, the symbolic meaning of proximity is defined not by physical proximity, but by people’s sense of shared identity and by their use of (mostly synchronous) communication media. Furthermore, we find that how the sense of proximity is symbolically constructed mediates the effects of communication and identity on relationship outcomes.

Keywords: Proximity, distance, geographically dispersed work, virtual work, teams, relationships

Suggested Citation

O'Leary, Michael Boyer and Wilson, Jeanne M. and Metiu, Anca, Beyond Being There: The Symbolic Role of Communication and Identification in the Emergence of Perceived Proximity in Geographically Dispersed Work (January 18, 2012). ESSEC Working Paper 1112, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2322710 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2322710

Michael Boyer O'Leary (Contact Author)

Georgetown University - Department of Management ( email )

3700 O Street, NW
Washington, NY 20057
United States
202-687-9257 (Phone)

Jeanne M. Wilson

College of William and Mary - Mason School of Business ( email )

P.O. Box 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
United States

Anca Metiu

INSEAD - Organisational Behavior ( email )

Finance area, Boulevard de Constance
Fontainebleau 77305
France
(33) (0)1 60 72 41 77 (Phone)
(33) (0)1 60 74 55 00/01 (Fax)

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