Investigating the impact of multiple media use on performance in dispersed teams: unraveling the millefeuille effect

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the use of social media platforms compared to IT-enabled communication in the context of dispersed teams.Design/methodology/approachWe draw on the millefeuille theory to develop a model that examines the impact of multiple media use (namely the millefeuille effect) on team performance. Data were collected from 70 dispersed teams.FindingsWe showed dispersed teams are more likely to improve their performance when relying on diverse media, including social media platforms and other IT-enabled communication. We provide empirical evidence that the millefeuille effect does not necessarily impede performance.Originality/valueAn increasing number of companies are implementing social media platforms as part of their media portfolio in addition to the already existing IT-enabled communication, such as email. However, we lack understanding of how the use of different media impacts team performance. Drawing on the millefeuille theory, this study investigates the use of social media platforms in dispersed teams by examining how their use with other IT-enabled communication can lead to team performance. This research introduces and differentiates two measures of the millefeuille effect to explain the different impacts of the millefeuille effect: millefeuille size (the number of non-overlapping media used) and millefeuille diversity (the variety of media used).