Face-to-face versus virtual teams: What have we really learned?

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radostina K. Purvanova
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Face To Face

scholarly journals The power of individual cultural values in global virtual teams

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audra I. Mockaitis ◽  
Elizabeth L. Rose ◽  
Peter Zettinig
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Virtual Team ◽  
Global Teams ◽  
Global Virtual Teams ◽  
Team Processes ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Relationship

This paper investigates the perceptions of members of 43 culturally diverse global virtual teams, with respect to team processes and outcomes. Despite widespread acknowledgement of the challenges presented by cultural differences in the context of global teams, little is known about the effect of these differences on team dynamics in the absence of face-to-face interaction. Using a student-based sample, we study the relationship between global virtual team members’ individualistic and collectivistic orientations and their evaluations of trust, interdependence, communication and information sharing, and conflict during the team task. Our results suggest that a collectivist orientation is associated with more favorable impressions regarding global virtual team processes and that cultural differences are not concealed by virtual means of communication.

Learning together and working apart: routines for organizational learning in virtual teams

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 138-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Dixon
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Virtual Team ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Information Industry ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Virtual Teaming

Purpose Research suggests that teaming routines facilitate learning in teams. This paper identifies and details how specific teaming routines, implemented in a virtual team, support its continual learning. The study’s focus was to generate authentic and descriptive accounts of the interviewees’ experiences with virtual teaming routines. Design/methodology/approach This case study gathered concrete, practical and context-dependent knowledge about virtual teaming routines in a specific environment. The main source of data was narrative expert interviews with working members of the team. Findings This study illustrates how a mix of face-to-face and virtual routines can ensure organizational learning in virtual teams. Research limitations/implications This case study is limited to one virtual team in the information industry. Future research could build on this research to study virtual teams in other industries. Practical implications This research offers specific examples of teaming routines that managers of virtual teams might adapt in managing their own teams. Social implications Given that the use of virtual teams is a growing phenomenon, understanding how to help those teams learn effectively is a critical issue. Originality/value This case study extends the research on teaming routines to virtual teams.

Removing Space and Time

2011 ◽  
pp. 14-23
Author(s):  
Christie L. McDaniel
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Virtual Team ◽  
Communication Barriers ◽  
Team Cohesion ◽  
Team Dynamics ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Managerial Styles ◽  
Geographic Boundaries ◽  
The World

Virtual teams are become more and more popular as the world becomes more connected; furthermore, research is suggesting that virtual teams are as effective as face-to-face teams (Baker, 2002). This chapter compares and contrasts virtual teams with face-to-face teams in order to determine what differences exist as the workplace become virtual. It investigates how relationships between team members change when geographic boundaries are removed and how managers should adjust managerial styles when leading a virtual team. Also, a discussion of team dynamics—including the development of trust, team cohesion, and communication barriers—is included. Tips and techniques for developing an effective team are provided for virtual team managers.

Training Techniques for Developing Trust in Virtual Teams

2011 ◽  
pp. 1659-1666
Author(s):  
Peggy M. Beranek ◽  
Ben Martz ◽  
Monique French
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Communication Systems ◽  
Computer Mediated Communication ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Comparison Of The Results

Trust among team members is a major factor influencing the cohesiveness of the group, trust also has a direct impact on team performance, problem solving, organizational performance, and organizational communication. Virtual teams are teams in which members are distributed and communicate via computer-mediated communication systems (CMCS). Past research has indicated that the development of trust among team members requires face-to-face communication, thereby making it difficult for virtual teams to develop trust. Recent research has shown that it is possible to train virtual teams to exhibit higher levels of trust. This paper describes and discusses different methods of trust training for virtual teams. We offer a comprehensive comparison of the results and analysis of the training programs of these studies and offer advice on developing and conducting such programs.

The Impact of Personality on Virtual Team Creativity and Quality

2011 ◽  
pp. 647-655
Author(s):  
Rosalie J. Ocker
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Synchronous Communication ◽  
Individual Member ◽  
Team Creativity ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Team Outcomes ◽  
Individual Personality ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Impact

A series of experiments investigated creativity and quality of work-product solutions in virtual teams (Ocker, forthcoming; Ocker, 2005; Ocker & Fjermestad, 1998; Ocker et al., 1998; 1996). Across experiments, small teams with about five graduate students interacted for approximately two weeks to determine the high-level requirements and design for a computerized post office (Goel, 1989; Olson et al., 1993). The means of interaction was manipulated in these experiments such that teams interacted via one of the following treatments: (1) asynchronous computer-medicated communication (CMC), (2) synchronous CMC, (3) asynchronous CMC interspersed with face-to-face (FtF) meetings, or (4) a series of traditional FtF meetings without any electronic communication. A repeated finding across experiments was that teams interacting only using asynchronous CMC – that is, teams without any FtF or synchronous communication -- produced significantly more creative results than teams in the other treatments. Additionally, asynchronous virtual teams rated high in creativity were generally not the same teams that were judged high in terms of the quality of their deliverable. To further examine these findings, this chapter presents results of an exploratory study designed to investigate the impact of individual personality facets on team outcomes. The objective of this study is to determine whether differences in team outcomes – in terms of the level of creativity versus the quality of the team deliverable – can be predicted by individual member personality.no abstract

Leapfrogging an IT Sector

2005 ◽  
pp. 1799-1802
Author(s):  
Eileen M. Trauth
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Strategic Alliances ◽  
Virtual Team ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Boundary Crossing ◽  
Building Relationships ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Global Coverage ◽  
Product Launches

How do virtual team leaders assess and respond to boundary crossing issues when building relationships with virtual team members? Virtual teams are a new phenomenon, defined as groups of people working on a common task or project from distributed locations using information and communications technology (ICT). With rapid advances in ICT allowing alternatives to face-to-face communication, virtual teams are playing an increasingly important role in organizations. Due to their global coverage, virtual teams are often assigned critical organizational tasks such as multi-national product launches, negotiating global mergers and acquisitions, and managing strategic alliances (Maznevski & Chudoba, 2000). Their use, however, has outpaced the understanding of their unique dynamics and characteristics (Cramton & Webber, 2000).

Managing a Virtual Organization

2005 ◽  
pp. 120-122
Author(s):  
Robert Jones ◽  
Rob Oyung ◽  
Lisa Shade Pace
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Virtual Organization ◽  
Team Building ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Virtual Meetings

In this section, we will discuss best practices for virtual teams. We also will talk about the tools available for use by virtual teams as well as some of the techniques we’ve seen employed for team building within virtual teams. We’ll include a brief discussion of situations where virtual meetings might be preferable to face-to-face interactions.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

2005 ◽  
pp. 13-21
Author(s):  
Robert Jones ◽  
Rob Oyung ◽  
Lisa Shade Pace
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Virtual Team ◽  
Conventional Wisdom ◽  
Golf Course ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Upper Management ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Water Cooler ◽  
Face Time ◽  
The Universe

Conventional wisdom often cites that individuals cannot advance their career without putting in daily face-to-face time with their managers; thus, members of virtual teams are inevitably less successful at career development than their co-located colleagues. Virtual team members lose out on the informal interactions that typically occur in the lunchroom, in the hallway, at the water cooler, and on the golf course; therefore, they are essentially out of sight, out of mind. Furthermore, conventional wisdom postulates, it is impossible to get the attention of upper management without these interactions, and people believe that if you want to advance, you will move to the companies selected “center of the universe” where the largest concentration of employees reside. This chapter will discuss the potential drivers behind the following myths that focus on this potential out-of-sight, out-of-mind dynamic, and will document some of the techniques that we’ve observed that help reduce the potential impact of the reduced face-to-face time that is inevitable with the implementation of virtual teams within an organization.

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