Awareness tools for global teams

Awareness seems to be one of the crucial factors to coordinate global teams - I have just come across a series of tools which seem promising in this context. Anita Sarma from the University of California is working on a variety of those tools, for example world view: http://www.ics.uci.edu/~asarma/research.shtml#world

How can those tools help? One assumption is that once you are aware where your colleauges are and what they are doing, you might perform better...I am quite convinced that awareness tools can support coordination and communication but I think that one aspect is ignored: CULTURE again...it is obviously helpful to visualize locations and work items but it should be connected to the meaning of location and work items - how do people handle tasks, what are the differences in working culture? In my opinion, those tools will create much more impact once they include cultural factors!

Global Text - Initiative for Development

Quite an interesting initiative is global text, developing text books and teaching materials for developing countries: http://www.globaltext.org/
Well, the approach is very pragmatic and useful and highly ambitious (look at the potential topics and you'll find something where you can contribute) - I would just expect to be more flexible in the sense of cross-publishing...I still believe that (electronic) learning objects and books can co-exist...

Open Content on Global Information Systems

Quite a few materials are available as Open Content (you can use it as long as you cite & inform me):
www.slideshare.net/jan.pawlowski
and some more (also the same like above) here: www.slidestar.de/

GLIS Blog - Research News on Global Information Systems

Well, why starting another blog on information systems - well, I started this blog to provide some information for colleagues and students regarding Global Information Systems. Anyway, there are not too many reliable sources of information on the topic...so, let's see how this works out...

well, as a starting point on culture I can always recommend http://www.engrish.com/

On the first site, this might look funny but there are many things to consider when looking at it...why do we make fun of language issues? Why is English the lingua franca in many communities? How can we express ourself in business, education and leisure? Well, more on this to come soon...