Transactive memory systems: exploring task, expertise and people (TEP) unit formation in virtual teams: conceptualization and scale measurement development

Transactive Memory Systems (TMS) are important cognitive constructs to share knowledge and control and coordinate interdependent tasks in teams. The construction of Transactive Memory Systems involves a number of key phases that lead up to the actual formation of a team’s TMS. In particular, the development of Task-Expertise-People (TEP) units, form an essential part of the development of a team’s Transactive Memory System. At this stage very little is known of how Task- Expertise-People units are formed in virtual teams. This paper addresses this problem by following an inductive, quantitative method to develop a measurement scale for TEP formation in virtual teams. TEP formation is a crucial step in developing a high-quality TMS and thus team performance. This is important because many organizations achieve contemporary work using virtual teams and we do not have a measurement scale for TEP formation in virtual teams. Findings from this study indicate that the measurement scale for a TEP unit yields 1) reliable constructs and 2) valid construct items to successfully measure TEP formation.