Journal of Marketing and Management Research Managing cross-understanding, page 1 Managing cross-understanding: An extension of cross training

This paper will focus on the ways cross training practices impact and lead to cross understanding, perspective taking, enhanced interpersonal relationships, and greater organizational understanding within organizational settings. The literature surrounding cross training is centered largely around ideas of efficiency and task management and tends to focus on the practice and techniques used when creating a cross trained organization (Ebeling & Lee, 1994; Kaeter, 1993; Slomp & Molleman, 2002); however, most research fails to look at other communication aspects which are enhanced when workers are given the opportunity to cross train. This paper identifies four byproducts of cross training which seem to enhance overall organizational function and show potential for relationship enhancement and conflict management throughout the organization. Further, the results cited here give some clues to the way in which organizations may productively address boundary items, items of common interest between parties found in disparate areas of the organizational structure, (Gal, 2008; Star & Griesemer, 1989; Wilson & Herndl, 2007) in a more productive method