Open plan offices – the response to leadership challenges of virtual project work?

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donatella De Paoli ◽  
Arja Ropo
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Virtual Work ◽  
Virtual Team ◽  
Project Team ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
Project Work ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Open Plan ◽  
Virtual Project ◽  
Virtual Project Teams

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore hybrid work spaces, combining open-plan, team-based offices with virtual work and leadership, in relation to the main leadership and team challenges virtual project environments encounter. Design/methodology/approach – In a review of virtual team literature, virtuality is defined and its main challenges to project leadership are identified. Based on the literature, several semi-structured interviews with project team managers within telecom and IT-consultancy were conducted. Using an exploratory approach, the authors introduce some new leadership concepts and functional benefits of open-plan offices important for virtual project environments. Findings – The findings suggest that project managers encounter several new kinds of challenges while leading virtual projects. Co-location of the project team during certain stages in open-plan, team-based offices may meet some of these challenges. The authors claim that spatial arrangements and their embodied subjective experiences make an impact on the effectiveness of virtual project teams. Research limitations/implications – This paper develops new conceptual thinking of how office facilities may contribute to productive virtual project teams. Further empirical studies in other settings are needed to generate generalizable findings. Practical implications – The paper discusses and provides arguments for real estate and facility managers, as well as project and team leaders, for the importance of open-plan offices for virtual project teams. Originality/value – The paper combines and benefits from different discussions on workspaces, virtual team and leadership. Furthermore, the paper introduces the notion of spatial leadership beyond the mainstream leader-centric approach to point out the importance of physical workspace of virtual teams and how the workspaces can perform leadership functions.

Working separately but together: appraising virtual project team challenges

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 227-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarila Zuofa ◽  
Edward G. Ochieng
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Project Team ◽  
Appropriate Technology ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Global Business ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Virtual Project ◽  
Virtual Project Teams

Purpose This paper aims to extend the extant knowledge on virtual teams by examining the challenges of virtual project teams in organisations in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Totally, 20 interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed. Validity and reliability were achieved by first assessing the plausibility in terms of already existing knowledge on some of the virtual project team issues identified by participants. Findings The findings from this study confirmed the growing relevance of virtual project teams in highly competitive global business environments. It emerged that some of the challenges identified in the study had some level of congruence with those previously identified from similar studies from other geographical locations. The findings also suggested that challenges in virtual project teams can be linked to the organisation, the project team and the virtual environment or even a combination of all. Practical implications The present study corroborates the position that managing virtual project teams requires additional efforts to attain their objectives through effective communications and the adoption of appropriate technology. Originality/value The originality of this study lies in its exploration of virtual project team challenges in a sub-Saharan Africa country (Nigeria). By identifying the challenges associated with virtual project teams, stakeholders will be better able to successfully establish and manage virtual project teams better.

Systems Development by Virtual Project Teams

2011 ◽  
pp. 447-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Croasdell ◽  
Andrea Fox ◽  
Suprateek Sarker
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Virtual Work ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Business Organizations ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Virtual Project ◽  
Virtual Project Teams

Business organizations and global partners are increasing their utilization of virtual project teams to enhance competitive advantages in the global market. More than ever, organizations are using virtual teamwork to bridge time zones and geographic distances. The use of virtual work environments has spurred interest in understanding how team members interact and collaborate over the life of a project. Not surprisingly, organizations are trying to understand what factors are determinants of success with respect to virtual teams. Increasing network bandwidth, continuously improving communication technologies, shifting global economies, and changes in social practices have caused business managers to reconsider traditional practices. This paper provides a comparative case study of four cross-cultural virtual project teams as they analyze, design, and develop information systems.

scholarly journals Interpretive structural model of trust factors in construction virtual project teams

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sukhwant Kaur Sagar ◽  
Olugbenga Timo Oladinrin ◽  
Mohammed Arif ◽  
Muhammad Qasim Rana
Keyword(s):  
Structural Model ◽  
Matrix Multiplication ◽  
Virtual Team ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Virtual Project ◽  
Interpretive Structural Model ◽  
Trust Factors ◽  
Virtual Project Teams

Purpose Organisational dependence on virtual project teams (VPTs) is growing dramatically due to the substantial benefits they offer, such as efficiently achieving objectives and improving organisational performance. One of the major issues that influence the effectiveness of VPTs is trust building. This study aims to determine the key factors of trust in VPTs and design a model by identifying the interrelationships among the trust factors. Design/methodology/approach Focus group discussion was used to gather data on factors affecting trust in VPTs and their interrelationships. Interpretive structural modelling (ISM) was used to establish the relationship among the factors. Cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification analysis was conducted to identify the driving power and the dependence power towards effective VPTs in the construction sector. Findings The finding revealed that “characteristics of team members” (such as ability, integrity, benevolence, competence, reliability and professionalism) is the most significant factor for building trust in virtual team members. Some factors were further identified as having high driving power, while others were defined as having high dependence variables. Practical implications The findings will assist construction managers and practitioners dealing with VPTs identify the factors influencing trust among team members. Taking cognisance of the factors that influence trust will enable them to design more effective virtual team arrangements. Originality/value As the first research of its kind using ISM technique, the study offers insights into interrelationships between trust factors in the construction VPTs. It provides guides for construction managers on the effective management of trustworthy VPTs.

The Impact of External Factors on Virtual Teams

Virtual Teams ◽  
2011 ◽  
pp. 70-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Hornett
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Virtual Work ◽  
Virtual Team ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Work Environments ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
Team Leaders ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Dynamic Forces ◽  
The Impact

Practitioners and researchers need to pay attention to how corporate organizing structures are impacting and are impacted by virtual work environments. Virtual teams are powerful organizing mechanisms, but they are not without limitations. This chapter reports on two cases in which dynamics outside the virtual project teams powerfully affected the teams. These cases, both based on studies of real project teams operating inside corporations, highlight the desirability of understanding virtual teams in context. While external factors are not unique to teamwork, their role has not been explored in depth in research on virtual teams. Dynamic forces outside teams seem more difficult to anticipate and to identify when team members are working virtually, and these powerful but invisible dynamics can be frustrating to virtual team leaders and members. Concluded in this chapter is that contrary to initial expectations, virtual teams are not replacing traditional forms of organizing. They are coexisting with traditional forms and dynamics, such as business drivers, hierarchies, departments, strategic priorities, and business needs. This coexistence can be fraught with conflict.

Virtual team experiences in an emerging economy: a qualitative study

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 778-794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shubhi Gupta ◽  
Govind Swaroop Pathak
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Virtual Work ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Virtual Team ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to document the experiences of team members in order to map the kinds of experiential outcomes that they report while working in virtual teams. The study will help to expand the understanding of various issues related to virtual work arrangements from the perceptions of information technology (IT) professionals in India.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted by adopting an exploratory approach with the use of qualitative methodology. The method of sampling adopted was purposive cum snowball sampling. Semi-structured interviews (face-to-face and telephonic) were conducted by taking a sample of 52 respondents, who are employed by IT organisations. The interviews were recorded digitally, transcribed and analysed by using the content-coding approach followed by a thematic analysis.FindingsThe foremost contribution of the study is that it has considered the various motivators and the skills required to be a successful virtual team player. Significant challenges encountered in virtual teams have also been identified.Practical implicationsVirtual teams in the contemporary business environment are evolving with an unparalleled velocity. The findings of the paper have implications for managers, team leaders and change agents regarding how to transform and sustain in the rapidly changing business context of emerging economies.Originality/valueIn the extant literature on virtual teams very little is known about how individual members perceive this new form of teamwork. The findings of the study advance research on the topic of virtual teams by lending empirical support with respect to the interaction effects between IT and human beings. Recommendations have been provided for individual team members and organisations.

Updating Ethnography to Investigate Contemporary Organizational Forms

2011 ◽  
pp. 133-149
Author(s):  
Julie Rennecker
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Virtual Work ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
Traditional Practice ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Organizational Configurations ◽  
Information Systems Research ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Virtual Project ◽  
Virtual Project Teams

The emergence of innovative organizational configurations enabled by recent advances in information and communication technology represent new and expanding venues for information systems research. At the same time, the distributed, dynamic nature of these new work forms challenge the premises and practices of traditional information systems research approaches. In this chapter, I advocate ethnography as a somewhat counterintuitive but valuable approach to the study of virtual work groups or, more specifically, virtual project teams. While the speed, fluidity, and physical distribution of virtual project teams pose unique challenges to ethnographic inquiry, it is these very characteristics that beg for the in situ scrutiny that only ethnography can provide. The mission of this chapter is three-fold: I intend to contribute to prior efforts to demystify ethnographic research generally, to illustrate its applicability to emerging venues of IS research, and to advocate for more ethnographic studies of virtual project teams as an essential step in understanding the socio-technical infrastructure needed to support them. Topics covered include the rationale for adopting an ethnographic approach to the study of virtual project groups, modifications to traditional practice, and the challenges, risks, and benefits one can expect to meet along the way. In addition, the chapter discusses different models for conducting multi-site studies and their advantages and limitations with respect to studying virtual project teams.

Arising Problems in Managing Virtual Project: Research on International Virtual Project Team Leaders

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-20
Author(s):  
Aistė Kukytė
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
The United States ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Project Team ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
Necessary Condition ◽  
Team Leaders ◽  
Virtual Project ◽  
Virtual Project Teams ◽  
International Companies

Although the prevalence of project teams in international organizations is growing rapidly, while influencing the governance of organizations at the global, regional, and local levels, the response of organizations to such changes has been slower, according to authors A. I. Mockaitis, L. Zander, and H. De Cieri (2018). Organizations need to look at virtual project team development opportunities, methods, tools to learn to work in a multicultural space. The uptake of improvement opportunities for organizations would have a positive impact on many aspects like competition, efficiency, and reputation. In this context, it is important to analyse and research the uniqueness of virtual project teams and the problems arising in the management of these teams, because in the international business environment, the operation of these teams is a necessary condition for business to operate effectively. The article analyses the emerging problems in virtual project team management in international companies. A theoretical overview of possible problems in managing virtual project teams is presented, the results of the performed qualitative research are presented. During the research, managers working in international companies who lead a virtual project team were interviewed using the qualitative research method. The study was conducted in 2019-2020 and involved 9 informants working in Lithuania, the United Kingdom, the United States, Bangladesh, France, Malaysia, and Poland. The results of the study revealed the opinion of virtual project team leaders how these teams differ from traditional teams. The results revealed problems that may arise in the management of virtual project teams, such as misunderstanding and ambiguity of transmitted information, lack of emotion, presence and loss of information, higher time costs for work tasks, different, culturally influenced work principles and etiquette, and loss of personal and work balance boundaries. These problems are addressed in several ways, openly throughout the group, individually or through an external team.

scholarly journals Antecedents and consequences of trust on a virtual team leader

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Flavian ◽  
Miguel Guinalíu ◽  
Pau Jordan
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Organizational Citizenship Behavior ◽  
Virtual Work ◽  
Virtual Team ◽  
Structural Equations ◽  
Citizenship Behavior ◽  
Work Team ◽  
Behavioral Characteristics ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Antecedents And Consequences

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine, among the possible causes, whether trust in the leader is one of the most relevant factors on the success of a virtual work team by analyzing different antecedents of the trust and its consequences. Design/methodology/approach The influence that certain physical and behavioral characteristics of the leader (attractiveness, empathy and justice) exert on the degree of trust is evaluated. On the other hand, the influence of trust on the efficiency of the team, in terms of organizational citizenship behavior and commitment, is analyzed. To test the model, a survey was conducted on real work teams and the data were analyzed through a model of structural equations. Findings The results support the hypotheses and consequently, the relevance of trust in the leader. Specifically, the leader’s physical and behavioral characteristics have a significant effect on the trust in the leader. This trust results in greater organizational efficiency. Originality/value Despite the undisputable growth in the number of companies using virtual teams, it is also true that many of these teams fail to perform. In this sense, this paper analyzes if certain factors related to leadership can be relevant when influencing the efficiency of a virtual work team. This paper contributes to a better understanding of the internal processes within a virtual team in order to maximize the chances of success in this type of organizations.

scholarly journals A conceptual model to improve performance in virtual teams

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shopee Dube ◽  
Carl Marnewick
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
Performance Criteria ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
Virtual Project ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Virtual Project Teams

Background: The vast improvement in communication technologies and sophisticated project management tools, methods and techniques has allowed geographically and culturally diverse groups to operate and function in a virtual environment. To succeed in this virtual environment where time and space are becoming increasingly irrelevant, organisations must define new ways of implementing initiatives. This virtual environment phenomenon has brought about the formation of virtual project teams that allow organisations to harness the skills and knowhow of the best resources, irrespective of their location.Objectives: The aim of this article was to investigate performance criteria and develop a conceptual model which can be applied to enhance the success of virtual project teams. There are no clear guidelines of the performance criteria in managing virtual project teams.Method: A qualitative research methodology was used in this article. The purpose of content analysis was to explore the literature to understand the concept of performance in virtual project teams and to summarise the findings of the literature reviewed.Results: The research identified a set of performance criteria for the virtual project teams as follows: leadership, trust, communication, team cooperation, reliability, motivation, comfort and social interaction. These were used to conceptualise the model.Conclusion: The conceptual model can be used in a holistic way to determine the overall performance of the virtual project team, but each factor can be analysed individually to determine the impact on the overall performance. The knowledge of performance criteria for virtual project teams could aid project managers in enhancing the success of these teams and taking a different approach to better manage and coordinate them.

scholarly journals Benefits from the implementation of project tasks with the use of virtual team

Management ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 204-216
Author(s):  
Beata Barnowska ◽  
Maciej Kozaryn
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Team ◽  
Organizational Form ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
Ceteris Paribus ◽  
Financial Benefits ◽  
Project Costs ◽  
Geographical Dispersion ◽  
Virtual Project ◽  
Oriented Approach ◽  
Virtual Project Teams

Summary The necessity of customer oriented approach, the ability of quick adapting to changing demand and the expectations of reducing project costs have recently resulted in a strong development of cooperation between various organizations implementing joint ventures. Projects-oriented organizations, creating virtual project teams, have become more and more popular. Dissemination of this organizational form has induced the authors to consider the real benefits achieved by enterprises using virtual project teams to implement projects. The purpose of the article was to try to calculate the benefits that companies can obtain when implementing projects, by replacing traditional project teams with virtual project teams (ceteris paribus). The presented research results show the possibility of achieving significant financial benefits due to the use of virtual project teams to carry out the projects implemented in many units with a large geographical dispersion.

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