Mastering Virtual teams : strategies , tools and techniques that succeed , 3 rd edition

Innovations in communication and decision support technology are providing organizations the ability to enhance performance by creating virtual teams. When valuable members are geographically and organizationally dispersed, the creation of virtual teams provides the flexibility to draw on knowledge, skills, and perspectives that would not be available for on-site collaboration. Virtual teams pool the talents of an organization’s own employees and employees of trading partners and consulting firms to meet the demands of a global competitive environment. Research and practice have shown that structuring organizations through virtual teams leads to different issues than structuring through traditional hierarchies or even through co-located teams. When team leaders and members operate remotely from each other, familiar social and cultural norms are not available for influencing team members’ attitudes and encouraging cooperative behavior. When they are co-located, leaders and members develop relationships that are both informal and task-related. They are able to observe first-hand the time and effort expended by members. Conflicts can be identified and resolved. However, when team members are dispersed, it is more difficult to build relationships. Many traditional forms of monitoring and control are not feasible. Performance evaluation of individuals becomes more difficult. Misunderstandings arise due to cultural, organizational, functional, and technological diversity. CommuniMastering Virtual teams: strategies, tools and techniques that succeed, 3rd edition