Multiteam Systems and Boundary Spanning Behavior
Summary
Multiteam systems (MTSs) comprise two or more distinct teams that pursue both their own specialised objectives and a shared superordinate goal. Such arrangements have become pervasive in domains ranging from emergency response and healthcare to large-scale engineering projects and digital innovation initiatives. Effective functioning of MTSs hinges on boundary spanning behaviour—that is, the actions by individuals or designated roles that connect separate teams, enable the flow of information, coordinate resources and negotiate shared understandings. Boundary spanners facilitate timely decision-making, reduce duplication of effort and help align subteam activities with overarching aims. Research on MTSs has highlighted the complexity of interteam processes, including the management of conflicting priorities, the emergence of sub-group identities and the need for adaptive leadership approaches. In high-stakes environments such as disaster response, boundary spanners play a vital role in translating situational awareness into coordinated action, while in corporate settings they broker knowledge between specialised units to foster innovation and enhance performance.
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Multiteam Systems and Boundary Spanning Behavior publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in multiteam systems and boundary spanning behavior across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Multiteam system (MTS): A network of two or more teams working interdependently towards both individual sub-goals and a shared superordinate goal.
Boundary spanning behaviour: Actions by individuals or roles that bridge distinct teams, facilitating information flow, resource coordination and shared understanding.
Superordinate goal: An overarching objective that unites multiple teams and supersedes their individual aims.
Situational awareness: The continuous perception and comprehension of evolving conditions, critical for timely decision-making in dynamic environments.
Decentralised communication network: An organisational structure in which multiple nodes share information directly, rather than routing exclusively through a central hub.
Distributed leadership: A leadership approach in which decision-making authority and boundary-spanning responsibilities are shared across team members rather than vested in a single individual.
References
- Single versus multiple project teams and individual performance: Do they ask for different leadership behaviors?. International Journal of Project Management (2024).
- Communication and coordination across event phases: A multi‐team system emergency response. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology (2021).
- The role of information sharing on decision delay during multiteam disaster response. Cognition, Technology & Work (2019).
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