Implementing Virtual Teams: A Guide to Organizational and Human Factors

by Edwards,Abigail

• ISBN13: 9780566084683
• ISBN10: 0566084686
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-02-28
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Many organizations worldwide are currently exploring the potential gains to be made from working with virtual teams. Although many different things are meant by use of 'virtual' (and indeed by 'teams'), usually it denotes groups of people with common purpose and goals working in different locations and often different time zones; they will be interconnected via a variety of telecommunications networks, perhaps including the Internet and intranet, video conferencing, shared white boards, as well as telephone, mail and e-mail. For organizations implementing such virtual teams there is a great need for guidance, in terms of the organizational structure and support which needs to be put in place.This book offers a practical guide to developing virtual teams, providing both an overview of what is involved and also a clear simple framework around which organizations can build their own implementation process. Although the different support technologies are discussed (at a generic level), the thrust of the book is on the organizational and human factors issues which must be addressed to make virtual teams a success. It contains detailed case studies to show how virtual teams work and where they can go wrong.

Author Biography

John R. Wilson is Professor of Occupational Ergonomics in the School of Mechanical, Materials, Manufacturing Engineering and Management, University of Nottingham.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	ix
List of Tables	x
Acknowledgements	xi
List of Abbreviations	xii
Introduction	xiii
PART I: When Should We Use Virtual Teams?	1	(28)
The Move Towards Virtual Working	3	(3)
What are Virtual Teams?	6	(9)
Types of virtual team	6	(1)
Flexible working conditions	7	(7)
Virtual working develops into virtual teams	14	(1)
Why Virtual Teams?	15	(5)
Gains from virtual teams	15	(2)
The cost benefits of implementing a virtual team	17	(3)
What Have Traditional Teams Taught Us?	20	(9)
Claire Whittington
Why teams?	20	(1)
What are teams?	21	(1)
Socio-technical systems	22	(2)
Leadership and leaders	24	(1)
Underlying structures to teamworking	24	(2)
Disadvantages of teams	26	(3)
PART II: What We Need To Know When Implementing Virtual Teams	29	(70)
Technology for Virtual Teams	31	(26)
Simon Clarke
Criteria for choosing virtual team technology	31	(5)
Classes of technology	36	(1)
Relatively asynchronous technologies	37	(8)
Relatively synchronous technologies	45	(7)
Future technologies: collaborative virtual environments	52	(4)
Summary of virtual teams' technology	56	(1)
Why Not Virtual Teams?	57	(4)
Organizational challenges	57	(1)
Technological challenges	58	(1)
Team creation challenges	59	(2)
Are Certain Jobs More Suited to Virtual Working than Others?	61	(5)
Human Resources	62	(1)
Logistics and/or Engineering	63	(1)
Marketing	63	(1)
Research and Development	64	(1)
Sales	64	(1)
Finance	65	(1)
Information Technology	65	(1)
Virtual Team Complexity	66	(2)
Managing Virtual Workers	68	(4)
Managing a virtual team -- sharing, caring and daring!	68	(2)
The role of the team leader	70	(2)
Success Strategies	72	(5)
Generating clear and concise goals and objectives	72	(1)
Enabling the free flow of communication	72	(1)
Diagnosing problems early and acting on them	73	(3)
Developing the team's own culture	76	(1)
Communication Strategies	77	(4)
Sharing information	77	(1)
Sharing success	78	(1)
Knowledge management	78	(2)
Seeing the bigger picture	80	(1)
Supporting the Virtual Team	81	(3)
Technical support	81	(1)
Emotional support	82	(1)
Training support	83	(1)
Implementing Change	84	(3)
Survey of Virtual Teams in UK Industry	87	(12)
David Bourner
Results from Questionnaire A: Extent of use of virtual team working	87	(5)
Results from Questionnaire B: Utilization and benefits of virtual teams	92	(7)
PART III: Case Studies of Virtual Teams in Industry	99	(50)
Introduction	101	(1)
Case Study 1: Defencom	102	(13)
Context	102	(1)
Introduction	102	(1)
Opportunities	103	(5)
Proposed action plan for the project team	108	(3)
Barriers	111	(2)
Possible next steps	113	(1)
Outcome	113	(2)
Case Study 2: Dalgen	115	(9)
Background	115	(1)
Project structure and goals	115	(2)
Process adopted for the implementation of the teleworking initiative	117	(1)
Proposed process for Phase II of the implementation of the teleworking initiative	118	(5)
Conclusion -- What did the company learn?	123	(1)
Case Study 3: Firstcase Telecommunications	124	(13)
Simon Clarke
Background	124	(1)
Survey of internal communications and attitudes	124	(2)
Technology survey and choice	126	(4)
Preliminary test programme	130	(1)
Pilot implementation	131	(3)
Implementation and evaluation	134	(3)
Case Study 4: Bullcom	137	(9)
David Peacock
Background	137	(1)
Work organization context	138	(1)
Evaluation	139	(6)
Virtual team checklist	145	(1)
Conclusions from Case Studies	146	(3)
Case Study 1: Defencom	146	(1)
Case Study 2: Dalgen	146	(1)
Case Study 3: Firstcase Telecommunications	147	(1)
Case Study 4: Bullcom	147	(1)
Guidelines developed from the cases	148	(1)
PART IV: Guidelines and Tools for Virtual Team Success	149	(30)
Introduction	151	(2)
Guideline 1 Produce Personal Profiles	153	(2)
Guideline 2 Develop Virtual Socializing Skills	155	(2)
Guideline 3 Agree a Code of Conduct Protocol	157	(2)
Guideline 4 Agree a Communication Protocol	159	(3)
Guideline 5 Produce a Meetings Protocol	162	(3)
Guideline 6 Generate a Project Implementation Plan	165	(2)
Guideline 7 Plan for Training and Competency	167	(2)
Guideline 8 Produce a Reporting and Recording Protocol	169	(2)
Guideline 9 Design a Central Knowledge Base	171	(2)
Guideline 10 Agree a System for Performance Measurement	173	(2)
Guideline 11 Set a Strategy for Team Evaluation	175	(2)
Guideline 12 Develop Recognition and Reward Policies and Systems	177	(2)
PART V: Epilogue	179	(2)
In Conclusion	181	(2)
Further Resources	183	(4)
Index	187