ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on three organizational positions whose leaders engage in frequent boundary-spanning activities. They are: new venture leaders, project team leaders, and product management. Each performs different roles within their respective organizations. However, a common pattern among these positions is the need for each to engage in boundary-spanning. Boundary spanning is defined here as the process of working across various organizational lines or boundaries to garner support, resources, or information needed to complete assigned tasks. This chapter focuses primarily on boundary-spanning between a team and supporting functional groups, the team’s supporters, and external organizations. Interviews were conducted by the author in order to gain additional contextual information regarding how these three positions carried out their tasks as well as the challenges they faced. A convenience sample was derived from personal contacts in several firms. Involved in the interviews were eight new venture team leaders, nine project leaders, and six product managers. Interviews were conducted on-site for approximately half of the positions; others were conducted via telephone. The questions used are part of a larger study of cross-functional teamwork effectiveness involving new venture team leaders, project leaders, and product managers. The interview protocol contained these questions:
Briefly describe what you need to do to be successful in your job.
How frequently do you need to go beyond your immediate team or department to gain advice, support, and resources?
What issues, problems, or opportunities, if any, have you encountered in gaining external resources, support, or advice? External implies beyond your team/group.
What advice, if any, would you give to others who need to seek support, resources, or information beyond their immediate team, department, or organizational boundaries?
What, if anything, has helped you deal effectively with your managers, others in different departments, and external organizations?
