Virtual Team And Its Advantages And Disadvantages

Virtual team can be defined as a group of individuals who are from different locations geographically but depend on communication technology to communicate, share work run projects as a group. These individuals run these errands in a space called the virtual environment which is created by the IT departments and maintained through various software technologies. Virtual teams or as at times referred to as remote teams have nowadays become very important aspects of most businesses. The individuals use video conferencing and mass emailing to run the errands as a group. Fiber optic technology has completely changed the aspect of virtual team, the individuals may not be familiar with each other but through this technology, they can

Is anyone out there? A Guide to Virtual Team Working and Leadership’.Training Reference, viewed October 2011

These groups rely on technology to communicate with one another and to accomplish the tasks allocated by the organization. One benefit of a virtual team is that they use technology and this can help increase efficiency and productivity of the members. The virtual teams also assist in the development of intellectual capital. The composition of the virtual groups helps improve quality as well as the outcome. The other benefit is the efficiency of communication. Some of the challenges include the distance between the members. The significant distance may dilute leadership, weaken human relations as well as amplify dysfunction. Virtual teams are hard to manage especially when it comes to goal setting, task distribution, coordination and member motivation. Virtual organizations rely on trust that the other members will fulfill their roles since it is not possible to monitor them closely (Hoppe, 2011). The virtual teams may face some internet challenges such as slow internet or disconnection. This problem can be handled through the use of alternative methods of communication such as mobile phones. While making a virtual team, the team members should address all challenges which may hinder communication by coming up with all possible substitutes of means of communication. These organizations rely heavily on the internet for video conferencing and sending emails. However, when the internet fails, they

Virtual Team on the other hand is a group of people working across time, space, and organizational boundaries which communication links are strengthened by the internet. It should be noted that virtual teams can also mean individuals spread across different cultures and languages. (“Virtual Team - Origin, Definition and its Scope,” 2016). More so, this team of geographically dispersed professionals working together as a unit despite distance are committed to achieving a single objective, holding one another mutually accountable.

The essence of this article is noting the fact that virtual teams are only going to be effective when technology is involved. When virtual teams first started, there wasn’t much effective meeting technology available, but now there

For a virtual team to be successful, they have to rely on communication technologies such as emails and video-conferencing. The installation and maintenance of these is an expensive affair. Another issue is that there may be conflicts and lack of trust and collaboration among the virtual team. Cultural differences of the teal players may lead to conflicts. Also, there is social isolation. Since there are no physical interactions, members of the virtual team s may be adversely affected. Managing time zone is difficult. It is not easy for members to host meetings when everyone lives in a different time zone. Another challenge is that the communication is limited and the participating teams need to be experts at

Every person in the world perceives life in a different way. From these various viewpoints, we, as humans, create stereotypes, myths, and legends. Our eyes see things distinctively and our minds shape concepts uniquely. From this disconnect from others, we enable misconception and foster misunderstanding. One beautiful thing about perception is that from it, we can develop our own interests. Thus, out of my personal curiosity, I have chosen to study Organizational Leadership – which, in turn, led me to this course. As I continue to further my studies, I look ahead to my required check sheet and already have my options drawn about all the courses I need to take. “Virtual Teams and Organizations” attracted my attention – mainly for the myths and preconceptions that I have regarding online teams. Originally more negative, my outlook has changed to a more positive one about working with others virtually.

When you are responsible for being the leader of a virtual team, you will inevitably face some problems. It might take a person a little time to grasp working in virtual teams. It takes a lot of communication, compassion and teamwork to be successful. However, there will also be problems that could arise. Therefore, it is imperative that we understand the visible and invisible signs given by each team member and make adjustments accordingly. I will discuss in this paper five of the most common lessons that we should learn in order to be effective while working in team settings.

In our current age of technology, societies have been given the opportunity and capability of connecting across distances in ways that were impossible not too long ago. With computer applications such as skype, people can connect from opposite sides of the world. This has created a unique advancement in the way that businesses are run. Handling business with others who are far away is now easier than ever. Curtis (2011) says virtual teams have become so common due to their "potential for flexibility, responsiveness, as well as for cost and production efficiency" (p. 97). Virtual teams are an effective way to bring employees of companies together within the comfort of their own office or home. .

The team that I would like to discuss going virtual would be the Academic Advising team at Baker College. The newly designed virtual team would be answering all student questions by email, phone or chat. Academic Advisors work from home; the position would be completely remote. An economic advantage of this virtual team for Baker College would be the decrease in office supplies (paper, ink, office space and shredding services).

As a manager of a virtual team I believe that it is extremely important to understand what key characteristics are needed in order for the team to flourish and excel. The ability to openly communicate, Understand cultural differences as well as overall knowledge of technology are some of the fundamentals I would be most concerned about. Communication is the major key to a prosperous team/group. If a team leader and/or group member has trouble with openly communicating with others, it will be impossible for team rules and regulations to be established. It is crucial for a virtual team to

Virtual interaction both increases and changes leadership responsibilities. Without proper communication management, virtual teams can have less efficiency compared to teams with face to face interaction. Even with the added conveniences in virtual teams, many virtual teams struggle and can often fail to meet expectations. Virtual team collaboration should empower team members with the opportunity to put their best foot forward. A considerable amount of effort is needed to take advantage of the creativity that can be produced in virtual teams. Virtual teams must find a way to foster trust, creating connections that develop into an inclusive environment, which empowers the team with the ability to work together and accomplish goals.

There are several differences and alike between traditional ground-based teams and virtual teams when individuals begin to work together as a team. In a common setting such as a classroom or a specific department in a company, teams are assigned and begin to work together by discussing the details of a project and assign tasks to each member. In this case, students or colleagues begin to work much quicker than in a virtual setting because the exchange of communication is much faster. In contrast, virtual teams have to first determine what method of communication would be appropriate for all members of the team. Next, they have to wait for all members to respond and then they can execute the best method of communication for the virtual team. According to Berry (2011), “Virtual team members can be located across the office, but almost as easily across the country or across the world, and may rarely or perhaps never meet face to face. As team members become more reliant on computer-mediated communication technologies, the more virtual they become. However, today most traditional teams use technological devices to continue work outside the classroom or office. Therefore, traditional teams model a virtual team, and if members take advantage of the resources, it can strengthen the team.

The virtual workplace has become increasingly prevalent for companies and industries due impart to the accelerated developments in technology. There are growing arguments that provide salient advantages and disadvantages for incorporating the virtual workplace into their organization. Learning organizations have found that there is evidence that shows the demand for virtual work arrangements are on the rise because of the impact of the World Wide Web technology. This rapidly changing environment has influenced growing

Ebrahim, A., Shamsuddin, A. & Taha, Z. (2009). Virtual Teams: A Literature Review. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Science, 3(3), 2653-2669.