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Virtual Teams

Chapter 15

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Use of Communication Technologies

Creation of virtual teamsMediated by time, distance, technologyContinuum

Two types of technologiesCommunication

Share informationCollaboration

Help teams solve problems, make decisions, work together

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Use of Communication Technologies Impacts:

Work designOrganizational designCommunication patternsSecondary social effects

Limits social relations

Impact varies due to cultural and age differences

Increases cross-cultural miscommunications

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Communication Technologies and Teams4 ways to support teams:

Gather and present information

Help team members communicate

Help teams process information

Structure group process

Use of Communication Technologies

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Use of Communication Technologies

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Use of Communication Technologies Characteristics of Communication Technologies

Axley (1996) Speed Reach Interactivity Cue variety

Reichwald & Goecke (1994) Social presence Media richness

Ability to document the message

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Use of Communication Technologies

Insert Table 15.2: Analysis of Communication Methods (p. 287)

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Communication Impacts Status Differences

Equalizes differences in student groups No effect on actual work teams Mixed effects on performance

Anonymity Leads to deindividuation Results:

Social loafing Flaming Less pressure to conform More ideas

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Communication Impacts Miscommunication

More conflict (often negative) Difficulty establishing and maintaining mutual

knowledge Faulty assumptions Multi-tasking in videoconferencing

Communication Norms Etiquette errors

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Team Impacts Task Performance in Virtual Teams

Personal advantages: Flexibility Control over time Empowerment

Personal disadvantages Isolation Increased miscommunication Increased conflict

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Team Impacts

Tasks better suited for virtual teams:

Idea generationProblem solving tasksBrainstorming chief example

Not suited for consensus-seeking tasks (negotiation, decision-making)

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Team Impacts Decision Making

Advantages Sharing of unique information Focused on logic and facts Less distracted by irrelevant social information Research before communicating More participation Higher creativity and performance

Disadvantages Less sharing of information overall Lower team satisfaction and cohesion

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Team Impacts Social Relations

Lower satisfaction in virtual groups Lack of social support Increased stress

Difficulty with cohesion More anonymity Less team identification Difficult to develop trust

Build through: Occasional face-to-face meetings Adopting Life-cycle approach

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Selecting the Right Technology

Factors to ConsiderTask characteristicsTeam characteristicsGroup process

Theories:Media richness theoryAdaptive structure theoryTask-technology fit theory

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Selecting the Right Technology

Matching Technology to Team and TaskAll technologies somewhat usefulGroup support systems useful for specialized

functionsNot very useful for negotiating highly emotional

conflicts

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Selecting the Right Technology

Matching Task to Technology

Insert Table 15.3: Matching Task to Technology (p. 297)

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Challenge of Virtual Teams Communication Problems

Cross-cultural miscommunications Creating Effective Interpersonal

RelationshipsDifficult to develop trust

Limited success of videoconferencing

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Challenge of Virtual Teams Team Building in Virtual Teams

More time to deal with problems Face-to-face initial meetings Instant communication channels Operating structures Communication norms Better training Appropriate leadership

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Challenge of Virtual Teams Future of Virtual Teams

Changes in technology Project management software Discussion forums Virtual reality environments

Characteristics of new employees More comfortable with technology

New types of social interactions Instant messaging Chat rooms Facebook

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Challenge of Virtual Teams Future of Virtual Teams

Changes in technology Project management software Discussion forums Virtual reality environments

Characteristics of new employees More comfortable with technology

New types of social interactions Instant messaging Chat rooms Facebook

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Insert Activity: Experiencing Teamwork in a Simulated Virtual Team (p. 303)

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