Nature of virtual teams: a summary of their advantages and disadvantages

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to extend knowledge about virtual teams and their advantages and disadvantages in a global business environment.Design/methodology/approachBased on a literature review and reported findings from interviews with experts and practitioners in the field, the paper has identified and discussed the advantages and problems associated with creating and managing virtual teams.FindingsIn today's competitive global economy, organizations capable of rapidly creating virtual teams of talented people can respond quickly to changing business environments. Capabilities of this type offer organizations a form of competitive advantage.Originality/valueBy identifying the advantages and problems associated with virtual teams, organizations will be better able to successfully establish and manage such teams.

Analysis of competencies for effective virtual team leadership in building successful organisations

“…Zaccaro and Bader (2003) came up with a model which suggested that there are following stages of trust development: calculus trust, which develops during the formation of a new team and leads, highlights, and enhances the importance and essence of members working together to consistently and responsibly trust themselves across team situations; and knowledge trust, which arises when members get to know one another better and are able to anticipate in their behaviours and actions. Bergiel et al (2008) argued that trust development is efficient, and when it exists, team members are able to save time and trouble in their resultant ability to rely on someone else's word. They continued to suggest that trust is relevant when team members are proactive in their attainment of optimal performance.…”

“…Because of this, if there is a lack of an effective VTL, projects executed by virtual teams will potentially fail (Weisban, 2008). Bergiel et al (2008) considered virtual teams to be on the continuous rise, with approximately onequarter of a billion people already working online globally. In 2001, 8.4 million employees in the USA were members of one or more virtual team (Bergiel et al, 2008).…”

“…Bergiel et al (2008) considered virtual teams to be on the continuous rise, with approximately onequarter of a billion people already working online globally. In 2001, 8.4 million employees in the USA were members of one or more virtual team (Bergiel et al, 2008). Furthermore, Hertel et al (2005) founded that 376 business managers from different countries indicated that approximately 40 per cent of the managers worked at least temporarily as leaders in virtual teams and 20 per cent approximately worked mostly as members of virtual teams.…”

Virtual Peer Teams: Connecting Students with the Online Work Environment

“…While many definitions of virtual teams exist, they converge on some common elements: team members interact primarily through technology to work across space, time, and organizational boundaries (1,2,3,4,9) . In fact, the Internet and advancements in communication technology are at the heart of the emergence of virtual teams as a widespread business practice (2,9) .…”

“…In fact, the Internet and advancements in communication technology are at the heart of the emergence of virtual teams as a widespread business practice (2,9) . Businesses have embraced virtual teams for a variety of reasons.…”