A Systemic View of International Projects with Virtual Teams

Abstract Systemic thinking is an instrument used in any field to understand the complexity of the changes and challenges that take place, and to discover the reciprocal links and conditions between the internal elements that determine the functioning of the system. Understanding how the international project with virtual project teams works as a system can help us better address the issues that arise in managing it, helping to increase the success rate. The international project with teams in the virtual environment, due to the diversity it embraces, in various aspects, especially at the cultural level, is considered a complex system, and can be seen as a system of systems. This term applies to systems in which interactions that could appear between different elements and deliverables are difficult to represent by a mathematical model or to be anticipated. In order to highlight the complexity of the international project system, we chose to represent project management in the virtual environment as a subsystem through the subsystems that compose it. This graphic representation can be used as a theoretical model of how to manage an international project with teams in the virtual environment

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A conceptual model to improve performance in virtual teams

SA Journal of Information Management ◽

10.4102/sajim.v18i1.674 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

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.

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Systems Development by Virtual Project Teams

Cases on Information Technology Series - Annals of Cases on Information Technology ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-061-5.ch029 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 447-463 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

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.

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Working separately but together: appraising virtual project team challenges

Team Performance Management ◽

10.1108/tpm-06-2016-0030 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 23 (5/6) ◽

pp. 227-242 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

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.

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Providing a Model for Virtual Project Management with an Emphasis on IT Projects

Project Management ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-0196-1.ch023 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 476-496

Author(s):

Hamed Nozari ◽

Seyed Esmaeil Najafi ◽

Meisam Jafari-Eskandari ◽

Alireza Aliahmadi

Keyword(s):

Information Technology ◽

Project Management ◽

Virtual Teams ◽

Geographical Distribution ◽

Project Teams ◽

It Projects ◽

Information Technology Projects ◽

Geographically Distributed ◽

Virtual Project ◽

Virtual Project Management

With globalization of economy and increase of global competition to acquire rare resources, the organizations have moved towards geographical distribution to achieve competitive advantage. Users and project teams at various places within various countries with different national and local cultures throughout the world work on projects at the environment concerning geographical distribution. On the other hand, with increase of advancements in communication, the distributed project teams have been witnessed with more expansion, known with “virtual teams”. When members of virtual project team from various organizations and time zones attend in the projects, they will be more likely affiliated to electronic media such as email. With regard to virtualization of IT projects, the present study aims to develop a model for virtual project management with an emphasis on information technology projects, including several elements in geographically distributed environments. The final model of virtual project management of information technology projects was represented.

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Importance of Goal Setting in Virtual Project Teams

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.100.1.270-274 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 100 (1) ◽

pp. 270-274 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Gerald L. Forester ◽

Peg Thorns ◽

Jeffrey K. Pinto

Keyword(s):

Virtual Teams ◽

Goal Setting ◽

Psychosocial Outcomes ◽

Goal Commitment ◽

Project Teams ◽

Engineering Teams ◽

Geographically Dispersed ◽

Virtual Project ◽

Virtual Project Teams

This research investigated goal setting on engineering teams with geographically dispersed members. A survey was designed to measure the Quality of Goal Setting, Goal Commitment, Perceived Task Outcomes, and Perceived Psychosocial Outcomes, all constructs and scales used in previous research on project teams. 82 respondents from 12 virtual teams participated. Analysis suggested the quality of goal setting affected Perceived Task Outcome ( t = 2.40, p<.05) but not Perceived Psychosocial Outcomes. Further regression analysis indicated goal commitment predicted significant variance in both Perceived Task Outcomes ( t = 2.35, p<.05) and Perceived Psychosocial Outcomes ( t = 4.3, p<.01). These results suggest that setting high quality goals and building commitment to goals significantly affect perceptions of outcomes on virtual project teams.

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

Journal of Corporate Real Estate ◽

10.1108/jcre-08-2014-0020 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 63-74 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

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.

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Effective Virtual Project Management Using Multiple E-Leadership Styles

Encyclopedia of E-Business Development and Management in the Global Economy ◽

10.4018/978-1-61520-611-7.ch044 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 445-454

Author(s):

Margaret R. Lee

Keyword(s):

Project Management ◽

Organizational Behavior ◽

Leadership Styles ◽

Virtual Teams ◽

Business Environment ◽

Project Team ◽

Project Teams ◽

Team Management ◽

Work Arrangements ◽

Virtual Project

The field of organizational behavior defines leadership as “the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of goals” (Capella, 2005, p. 294). Leadership styles have been well studied and researched. Early leadership studies were developed using traditional, co-located work arrangements in mind. Later studies expanded to include traditional project team environments. In the current business environment, however, nontraditional virtual work arrangements are becoming more popular. Virtual project teams are increasing in business today and will continue to become more common in the future (Martins, Gilson, & Maynard, 2004). Managing nontraditional work involving virtual teams is becoming a necessity in the current business environment. The type of leadership emanagers must demonstrate for successful virtual team management is different from traditional project team management (Konradt & Hoch, 2007). Understanding appropriate leadership styles for virtual project teams and the transition toward new leadership styles is an important part of managing human resources in organizations and successful virtual project management. Emerging e-leadership roles and management concepts for virtual teams include multiple leadership models, and their application is an important part of our evolving virtual organizational behavior.

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Predictive Model for the Factors Influencing International Project Success: A Data Mining Approach

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13073819 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 3819

Author(s):

Iulia Dumitrașcu-Băldău ◽

Dănuț-Dumitru Dumitrașcu ◽

Gabriela Dobrotă

Keyword(s):

Predictive Model ◽

Virtual Environment ◽

Online Survey ◽

Success Factors ◽

Project Success ◽

Project Team ◽

International Project ◽

Major Influence ◽

Team Members ◽

International Projects

Considering that international projects with teams in the virtual environment (IPTVEs) contribute to the reduction in the carbon footprint and, at the same time, become life-saving solutions in extreme global situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations familiar with this type of project will have a substantial advantage in their ability to operate efficiently and to achieve their sustainable goals. An important aspect of project management is to identify the factors that influence the success of an international project, increasing its performance. Our first research hypothesis was that the decision to create a project team in the virtual environment is a factor with a major influence on international project success. Data collection was performed through an online survey conducted within international project team members and managers. The success factors were explained through factorial analysis which revealed two main factors and the neural network algorithm on a dataset through IBM SPSS Modeler software. The predictive model revealed that the most important field is setting up a virtual team, followed by organizational culture. These results support our hypothesis.

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Providing a Model for Virtual Project Management with an Emphasis on IT Projects

Advances in IT Personnel and Project Management - Strategic Management and Leadership for Systems Development in Virtual Spaces ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-9688-4.ch003 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 43-63 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hamed Nozari ◽

Seyed Esmaeil Najafi ◽

Meisam Jafari-Eskandari ◽

Alireza Aliahmadi

Keyword(s):

Information Technology ◽

Project Management ◽

Virtual Teams ◽

Geographical Distribution ◽

Project Teams ◽

It Projects ◽

Information Technology Projects ◽

Geographically Distributed ◽

Virtual Project ◽

Virtual Project Management

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SUSTAINABILITY FACTORS IN INTERNATIONAL PROJECT TEAMS

6th ERAZ Conference Proceedings (part of ERAZ conference collection) ◽

10.31410/eraz.2020.271 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Leonilde Reis ◽

◽

Clara Silveira ◽

Renato Duarte ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Enterprise Resource Planning ◽

Business Processes ◽

Resource Planning ◽

Project Teams ◽

International Project ◽

Good Practices ◽

Software Products ◽

International Projects ◽

Almost All ◽

Development Objectives

Today almost all organizations, according with their business specificities, support their business activity within the Information Systems. In this sense, the most common business processes of organizations are supported by generic software products, also called Enterprise Resource Planning. In this paper are referred a set of good practices for the implementation/configuration of generic software products, in international projects. The methodology adopted focuses on the literature review in the thematic of Sustainability factors in International Project Teams, as well as on the presentation of good practices based on the lessons learnt from proven methodology. The contributions of this work focus on considerations in the area of project implementation procedures, and requirements of the business processes, the system configuration, as well as training. The paper’s conclusions emphasize the importance of applying good support management in international project teams, including concerns of sustainable development objectives in the economic, technical, social, human/individual and environmental aspects.

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