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УДК 005.73:331.103.244

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36887/2415-8453-2026-2-4

Bagley Rostislav,
PhD in Economics, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Department of International Economics,
West Ukrainian National University,
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4617-1855

JEL classification: M14, J81, O33

The article examines the characteristics of shaping and sustaining corporate culture in distributed teams in the context of digitalization and the transformation of traditional forms of work organization. It is argued that the rapid proliferation of distributed teams, exacerbated by globalization, highlights the challenge of maintaining organizational identity in the absence of a shared physical space. E. Schein’s classic three-layer model of corporate culture is examined, and it is shown that in a distributed format, each of its levels undergoes a significant transformation. It has been established that artifacts are transitioning to digital form, whilst basic assumptions are formed much more slowly due to a lack of shared experience and the fragility of trust at a distance. It has been revealed that the deep level of basic assumptions is most vulnerable, as a team may possess formalized digital artifacts and proclaimed values in the absence of genuine shared beliefs. External and internal factors in culture formation have been identified that take on new significance in the context of remote interaction, particularly a leader’s digital competence, emotional intelligence, and role as an active architect of culture. It is demonstrated that culture formation in a distributed format cannot occur spontaneously, as the natural mechanism of ‘cultural diffusion’ is virtually non-existent in a virtual environment and therefore requires a proactive, managed approach. The correspondence between levels of corporate culture and the digital tools that support them has been systematized, and the dual role of digital platforms has been substantiated. The practical significance of the results lies in their applicability to managers of distributed teams for the targeted development and maintenance of corporate culture. Prospects for further research include empirically testing the proposed theoretical propositions using data from Ukrainian companies and developing practical tools to assess the level of corporate culture development in distributed teams.

Keywords: corporate culture, distributed team, virtual team, digitalization, remote working, digital tools, organizational identity, leadership.

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The article was received 31.05.2026

Quote article, APA style

Bagley R. 31.05.2026. Corporate culture of a distributed team. Ukrainian Journal of Applied Economics and Technology. 2026. №2. 27-31 pp. https://doi.org/10.36887/2415-8453-2026-2-4

Quote article, MLA style

Bagley R. Corporate culture of a distributed team. Ukrainian Journal of Applied Economics and Technology. 31.05.2026. https://doi.org/10.36887/2415-8453-2026-2-4