Systematic Literature Review of Knowledge Sharing Barriers and Facilitators in Global Software Development Organizations Using Concept Maps <s> 4) INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION <s> While organisations recognise the advantages offered by global software development, many socio-technical barriers affect successful collaboration in this inter-cultural environment. In this paper, we present a review of the global software development literature where we highlight collaboration problems experienced by a cross-section of organisations in twenty-six studies. We also look at the literature to answer how organisations are overcoming these barriers in practice. We build on our previous study on global software development where we define collaboration as four practices related to agreeing, allocating, and planning goals, objectives, and tasks among distributed teams. We found that the key barriers to collaboration are geographic, temporal, cultural, and linguistic distance; the primary solutions to overcoming these barriers include site visits, synchronous communication technology, and knowledge sharing infrastructure to capture implicit knowledge and make it explicit. <s> BIB001 </s> Systematic Literature Review of Knowledge Sharing Barriers and Facilitators in Global Software Development Organizations Using Concept Maps <s> 4) INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION <s> In recent years, software development outsourcing has become even more complex. Outsourcing partner have begun‘re- outsourcing’ components of their projects to other outsourcing companies to minimize cost and gain efficiencies, creating a multi-level hierarchy of outsourcing. This research in progress paper presents preliminary findings of a study designed to understand knowledge transfer effectiveness of multi-level software development outsourcing projects. We conceptualize the SD-outsourcing entities using the Agency Theory. This study conceptualizes, operationalises and validates the concept of Knowledge Transfer as a three-phase multidimensional formative index of 1) Domain knowledge, 2) Communication behaviors, and 3) Clarity of requirements. Data analysis identified substantial, significant differences between the Principal and the Agent on two of the three constructs. Using Agency Theory, supported by preliminary findings, the paper also provides prescriptive guidelines of reducing the friction between the Principal and the Agent in multi-level software outsourcing. <s> BIB002 </s> Systematic Literature Review of Knowledge Sharing Barriers and Facilitators in Global Software Development Organizations Using Concept Maps <s> 4) INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION <s> The role of coordinators in highly knowledge-intensive international business has been increasingly portrayed as filling the communication, cross-cultural, social gaps; or facilitators of knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer. However, they do not mention the process coordinators cooperate with partners to create new knowledge; whereas a critical issue is to facilitate the collaboration among partners in international and cross-cultural context. Our study bridges this gap by studying the knowledge-bridging process of bridge System Engineers (bridge SEs) in software offshore development context. Our analysis pointed out that beside required knowledge, bridge SEs utilized background of long term residence or study abroad; and “bridging-knowledge” to adjust communication contents before information is sent from one side to another. Based on the theoretical work of Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) and empirical evidence of bridge SEs in Software Offshoring from Japan to Vietnam; we further develop the model of Knowledge-bridging process to show how the bridge SEs, the vendor and the client interact to create technological, business, bridging knowledge and decrease the cultural gaps. <s> BIB003 </s> Systematic Literature Review of Knowledge Sharing Barriers and Facilitators in Global Software Development Organizations Using Concept Maps <s> 4) INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION <s> In the context of Global Software Development (GSD), team members face a number of challenges that needs to be solved. One of them relates to the transfer of knowledge needed to fulfil the required tasks. The knowledge transfer process may be organized and implemented in various ways, as companies use varying strategies to transfer knowledge from onsite to offshore sites. However, without effective knowledge management practices, success in GSD will be difficult. In this paper, we aims to identify the process activities of knowledge transfer in globally distributed teams, challenges and suitable solutions for effective knowledge transfer. In order to achieve this objective, a systematic literature review (SLR) of the existing knowledge transfer literature is conducted. Our findings describing the process of knowledge transfer in globally distributed teams, a set of challenges and recommended practices for effective knowledge transfer. Finally, we conclude this study with a discussion of the directions for further and future research. <s> BIB004
Cultural awareness can be created by assigning ''cultural ambassadors'' between remote sites who can interpret remote team communication and actions BIB001 . Cultural ambassadors BIB004 and culturally marginal people can be assigned for mediating roles between different team members, as they have common understanding of both cultures BIB003 , BIB002 . Expatriate manager can be assigned to control and coordinate knowledge transfer and introducing corporate culture between remote sites BIB003 . ''Information gatekeeper'' can be used as they have skills of understanding and translating knowledge into more meaningful way for their locally oriented colleagues BIB003 . Fig. 12 presents the cultural facilitators identified in this SLR. 