Virtual Teams and Knowledge Communication

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Miikka J. Lehtonen ◽  
Constance E. Kampf
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Virtual Work ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Support Teams ◽  
Cross Cultural Communication ◽  
Communication Processes ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
Semiotic Perspective ◽  
Knowledge Communication

How does culture affect virtual teams and the knowledge communication processes in which they engage? As virtual spaces are increasingly used to support teams and establish collaboration in cross-cultural projects, the notion of cross-cultural communication can be understood as shifting from contextual perspective to a semiotic perspective. That is to say, although the team members are using the same vocabulary they might attach different meanings to and have different knowledge about them thus highlighting the importance of approaching virtual teams and collaboration from a semiotic perspective. To look at how knowledge about virtual work is established in a multinational context, the authors interviewed members of a team that connects Finland and India. Results reveal five objects shared between the team members with varying knowledge about them. By making these differences in knowledge visible through semiotics the authors are calling for a more nuanced understanding of cross-cultural collaboration that draws on and extends the existing body of knowledge on virtual teams and collaboration.

scholarly journals Intercultural Challenges in Virtual Teams

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 69-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beata Krawczyk-Bryłka
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Goal Setting ◽  
Internal Communication ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Mutual Understanding ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Virtual Teamwork ◽  
Geographically Dispersed ◽  
Intercultural Collaboration ◽  
Communication Processes

Abstract Virtual teams are usually geographically dispersed and consist of members from different countries and cultures. They influences internal communication processes and can cause personal conflicts, misunderstandings or lack of trust. Intercultural diversity is also significant for goal setting and team effectiveness. The aim of this article is to check if virtual team members appreciate the cultural diversity or rather suffer from lack of team cohesion and mutual understanding. The article presents research conducted among specialists from IT sector who have experience in working in virtual teams. They perceive intercultural collaboration in virtual teams as the opportunity to exploit the potential of specialists from all over the world but they also point to some challenges related to cross-cultural virtual teamwork.

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.

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.

Help Me, Help You

2008 ◽  
pp. 257-276
Author(s):  
Derrick L. Cogburn ◽  
Nanette S. Levinson
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Administrative Roles ◽  
Cross Cultural Communication ◽  
Delivery Modes ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
Alternative Delivery

Reporting on a nine-year case study of collaborative learning in cross-national and cross-university virtual teams, this chapter calls for what it defines as a triple track approach to the opportunities and challenges of cross-cultural collaborative learning. Such an approach involves the concurrent focus on student, faculty, and administrative roles in developed and developing nations. The authors analyze alternative delivery modes, identify best practices, and highlight critical success factors including trust-building, cross-cultural communication, and collaborative learning champions. Finally, they examine trends such as increasing cross-sector collaboration outside of academe and suggest needed additional research.

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.

A profile of high-performing global virtual teams

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 169-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helge Lippert ◽  
Victor Dulewicz
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Team Performance ◽  
Virtual Team ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Communication Style ◽  
Cultural Communication ◽  
Research Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Performing ◽  
Cross Cultural Communication

PurposeThere is a paucity of research into high-performing virtual teams. This study aims to design and test a model of virtual team performance and to produce a profile of high-performing teams.Design/methodology/approachThe main constructs found to have influenced virtual team performance in business were trustworthiness, commitment, communication characteristics, cross-cultural communication style and structure effects. New or revised scales to measure these and a new performance measure, based on five performance criteria, were developed. A research model was designed and tested, and a profile of high-performance teams produced. The sample from a global telecoms company comprised 108 global virtual teams. Two senior managers rated performance independently.FindingsHierarchical regression results explained 75.7 per cent of the variance of performance. Analysis of variance revealed that model fit was highly statistically significant. Trustworthiness was identified as the predominant factor, explaining a majority of the dependent variable’s variance, while interpersonal communication, commitment and cross-cultural communication style were also identified as important. The 52 items differentiating high- and low-performing teams are reported and discussed.Originality/valueThe research model makes a contribution to team performance theory and understanding, especially the relative importance of constructs for explaining performance. The profile of high-performing teams adds greatly to our knowledge and provides valuable guidance for team management, selection and development.

Challenges in Norm Formation and Adherence

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Krumm ◽  
Katrin Terwiel ◽  
Guido Hertel
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Large Set ◽  
Coping With Stress ◽  
Dimensional Solution ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Exploratory Factor Analyses ◽  
Importance Ratings

Due to the growing globalization of business processes, teamwork increasingly requires intercultural skills. Furthermore, many teams rely predominantly on electronic collaboration (virtual teams), requiring team members to develop and adhere to norms in a cue-deprived environment. In the current study, we conducted an online survey with 171 participants who fell into one of two subgroups of cross-cultural teams: members of either traditional or virtual teams. We compared the two groups of team members with regard to their importance ratings of several competencies for team performance. Starting with a large set of intercultural competencies derived from the literature, exploratory factor analyses yielded a four-dimensional solution (working conscientiously, coping with stress and ambiguity, openness and perspective taking, and knowledge about other cultures). Among those clusters, only the cluster working conscientiously yielded substantial differences between traditional and virtual-team members, indicating specific requirements for cross-cultural collaboration for virtual as compared to traditional teams.

Communication in Global Virtual Activity Systems

2011 ◽  
pp. 239-254
Author(s):  
Marie C. Paretti ◽  
Lisa D. McNair
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Activity System ◽  
Global Virtual Teams ◽  
Activity Systems ◽  
Distributed Work ◽  
Virtual Collaboration ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Cultural Contact ◽  
Communication Practices

This chapter uses activity theory as a lens to understand the implications of both virtual collaboration and cross-cultural contact for communication in global virtual teams. Rather than adopting a set of heuristics or guidelines that may readily become dated as cultures and technologies shift in the flat world, we argue that both those who study and those who engage in global virtual teams should critically analyze the entire activity system. We then provide meta-cognitive approaches to both distributed work and cross-cultural contact that team managers and team members can use to establish flexible communication practices appropriate to the activity system at hand, and that researchers can use to account for the range of factors that impact team performance.

Effective Virtual Teams

2011 ◽  
pp. 1272-1278
Author(s):  
D. Sandy Staples ◽  
Ian K. Wong ◽  
Ann-Frances Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Virtual Work ◽  
Virtual Team ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Geographically Dispersed ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Collocated Teams

Virtual teams are now being used by many organizations to enhance the productivity of their employees and to bring together a diversity of skills and resources (Gignac, 2005; Majchrzak, Malhotra, Stamps, & Lipnack, 2004), and it has been suggested that this will become the normal way of working in teams in the near future (Jones, Oyund, & Pace, 2005). Virtual teams are groups of individuals who work together from different locations (i.e., are geographically dispersed), work at interdependent tasks, share responsibilities for outcomes, and rely on technology for much of their communication (Cohen & Gibson, 2003). While the use of virtual teams is more common in today’s organization, working in these teams is more complex and challenging than working in traditional, collocated teams (Dewar, 2006), and success rates in virtual teams are low (Goodbody, 2005). This article suggests best practices that organizations and virtual team members can follow to help their virtual teams reach their full potential. In this article, virtual team best practices are identified from three perspectives: organizational best practices, team leadership best practices, and team member best practices. Ideas for best practices were identified from three sources: six case studies of actual virtual teams (Staples, Wong, & Cameron, 2004); the existing literature on virtual teams; and the existing literature on traditional (i.e., collocated) teams and telecommuting (i.e., research on virtual work at the individual level).

scholarly journals On Temporal Aspects in Cross-Cultural e-Collaboration Between Finland and Japan Research Teams

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 37-54
Author(s):  
Anneli Heimbürger ◽  
Yasushi Kiyoki
Keyword(s):  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Project Teams ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Cross Cultural Communication ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
Collaboration Environment ◽  
Temporal Aspects ◽  
Cross Cultural Research ◽  
The University

Time is an essential dimension in cross-cultural e-collaboration among research project teams. Understanding temporal aspects and project dynamics in cross-cultural research e-collaboration and related processes can improve team members' skills in cross-cultural communication and increase their cultural competence. The present case cultures are Finnish and Japanese, and the case universities are the University of Jyväskylä (Finland) and Keio University (Japan). Three issues are addressed in this article. First, cultural dimensions and time models in the cross-cultural e-collaboration context are discussed. Second, temporal aspects related to e-collaboration activities are introduced. Third, formal, ontological approaches for identifying and describing temporal entities in cross-cultural e-collaboration are presented and examples of applications are given. The objectives of this article are (1) to deepen the knowledge and understanding of temporal aspects (informal and formal) in a cross-cultural e-collaboration environment (CCeCE) and (2) to create know-how for designing CCeCE-like systems.

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