Introduction to the Special Issue: Communication Processes for Virtual Organizations

Abstract

Few topics have received more attention in the management literature of recent years than that of virtual organizations. Articles abound on the possibilities of virtual meetings, work teams, offices, factories, firms, and alliances. Given the burgeoning interest in this emerging phenomenon, it is surprising that very little empirical research exists on virtual organizations. Especially lacking are studies of communication processes within virtual organization settings. To help remedy this situation, this special issue provides an early window into several important communication processes that occur in virtual contexts. We are pleased to provide readers with a compendium of six articles that, collectively, advance current knowledge of communication processes for virtual organizations. Both single and multifirm studies are included here, with analyses covering such diverse topics as communication content, communication structure and effectiveness, tradeoffs in electronic and face-to-face relationships, and the use of communication in formation of organizational identity. All of the studies include rigorous analysis and careful measurement of communication, and all take place within naturally occurring organizational contexts, not laboratory settings.

Network analysis of collaboration structure in Wikipedia

“…As a co-evolution of the network society [8], work systems are more often organized in an informal way [9], as opposed to, say, hierarchical organizations. Flows and linkages between actors characterize these network forms of organizations [16], and it is exactly these linkages that constitute the bulk of organizational activity [17].…”

Instant Messenger in Offshore Outsourced Software Development Projects: Experiences from a Case Study

“…Virtual teams can coordinate only via electronic communication, and they experience a form of "swift" trust-but such trust is fragile and temporary [10]. The success and failure of virtual teams is contingent upon trust, the basis for relationship building.…”

Evaluating Organisational Readiness for Virtual Collaboration

“…The most recent literature even makes a distinction between the virtual organisation and organisational virtualisation. Breu & Hemingway, (2004) claim that previous literature pertaining to virtual organisations focuses on organisational design (Chesborough & Teece., 1996;De Sanctis & Monge, 1999;Cramton, 2001;Griffith et al, 2003) while in contrast organisational virtualisation addresses the transition from the traditional bricks-and-mortar to a virtual organisation (Boudreau et al, 1998;Dutton, 1999). Additionally the authors address the problem from two perspectives;…”