ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the extent to which team members maintain contacts outside of the project team. It also focuses on cross-ties, i.e., the external ties maintained by a team within the company, showing how such ties enhance project performance. The chapter distinguishes between horizontal ties crossing unit-boundaries and vertical ties crossing hierarchical boundaries, within an organization. Cross-hierarchy ties thus provide innovative teams with management-related resources that assist them in performing their tasks. Horizontal cross-unit ties and vertical cross-hierarchy ties improve innovation project team performance. Innovative project teams are no 'isolated islands', but thrive when properly embedded in the social network environment of their organization. As a leading European financial service provider, Redrock depends on reliable technology and processes, and supports this with investments in product and service innovation. The innovation teams require the employees involved to be on top of their game, applying their knowledge to address a multi-dimensional problem.
