...Communication Challenges in Global Virtual Teams Abstract This paper approaches some of the communication challenges in global virtual teams, such as diversity understanding, asynchronous communication, behavior, language barriers, lack of trust, and technological problems. This paper groups the challenges into five main categories and describes the common issues leaders and team members need to address and overcome in order to succeed. The five categories are time zones, cultural differences, language, trust and relationship building, and technology. The purpose of this division is to help a better understanding of different type of issues in global virtual teams. Knowing these challenges allows leaders and team members to increase team’s performance through good planning and training, and avoid problems other global virtual teams had in the past. In addition, cases study showed communication and technology usage norms play an important role in global virtual teams, these norms or rules are more important in global virtual teams than collocated teams. Communication Challenges in Global Virtual Teams Global virtual teams “work across space, time and organizational boundaries” (Montoya, Massey, Hung, & Crisp, 2009, p. 139). A global virtual team is a group of people located in different geographic regions that communicate via telecommunication technology and share a common set of tasks to accomplish when completing a project. Virtual teams working in non-overlapping...
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...similarities and differences between domestic and global project management. A project manager must realize that what might work in their country may not work in a foreign environment. Project managers might find themselves using practices that have worked for them in the past, without even thinking of the new environment, and issues may arise. Project managers need to understand the differences in a different country's environment to avoid and reduce any obstacles that there may be. Some considerations global project managers must consider are the legal, political, security, geographical, economic infrastructure, and culture implications of working with different countries (Gray, 2006). Some legal and political issues project managers should consider are staying within the laws and regulations of the country they are looking to work in. The foreign environment usually has protection of local workers, and may strongly influence how the different types of projects can be implemented. In addition, security is a high risk factor and must be considered when going to a foreign country. The geography of a country is also a consideration that one should make. It is necessary in this case to assess what the weather is like such as; does it rain often or is it extremely hot. These considerations must be made and planned into the overall projects, as some of these challenges could cause the project to be delayed if you are working on a construction project. In addition, one must consider the economic...
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...Search Results (Full Text & Scholarly [Peer Reviewed] Journals): 3,836 Harvey, Michael; Novicevic, Milorad M.; Garrison, Garry // Global virtual teams: A human resource capital architecture // International Journal of Human Resource Management, 2005, 16(9), p1583-1599 // ISSN: 0958-5192 Globalization has organically introduced Global Virtual Teams (GVTs) and made them an essential part of any rapidly expanding international companies. GVTs, which are groups of people working together even though they are geographically separated, have the potential to be catalysts in effectively utilizing a company’s human resources (HR). Even though GTVs show great promise, problems associated with an interconnected global work force are amplified and new issues have arisen which include difficulty working with individuals from differing cultures, decreased ability for members to build social/cultural capital within a team, difficultly to asses performance, and GVTs cannot convey informal rules or norms which in turn would lead to an increase in misunderstandings and confusion. GVTs value-creating competencies can be broken down into: self-related competencies, team context-related competencies, and vision-related competencies. These competencies, if bundled together effectively, will foster a sustainable competitive advantage over the firm’s global rivals. Another determining factor in how to efficiently use an organizations competencies would be the balance between the development...
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...has been secured from the Virtual Library at Kaplan University. The article has been formatted using the APA hanging indent format. The article reference is shown below and in the References. References Zaugg,...
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...lRole of Emotional Intelligence in Virtual Project Management Shazia Nauman MEM, MBA shaznaum@yahoo.com CASE, Pakistan Maliha Elahi, PMP, MCT malihaelahi@yahoo.com SPO, Pakistan Zeeshan Ahmed Bhatti xeeshan@gmail.com CASE, Pakistan Umair Khalid umair.khaled@gmail.com Ericsson,Pakistan Abstract- In today's competitive global environment, projects in organizations consist of cross-functional teams that are formed to utilize individual expertise. A project manager whose primary responsibility is to achieve project objectives deals these individuals. Since the rational and emotional aspects of a project vary in complexity, the role of the project manager is critical to project success. The objective of this study was to demonstrate linkages between emotional intelligence and the challenges faced by virtual project managers. The study will also show that there exists a multi tier relationship between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and challenges/elements of VPM. 1. INTRODUCTION Emotional Intelligence has its roots in the concept of "social intelligence", as first identified by E.L. Thorndike as early as in the early 1920s. The term Emotional Intelligence first appeared in a series of academic articles authored by John D. Mayer and Peter Salovey [1]. Goleman defined Emotional intelligence as a person’s self-awareness, self-confidence, selfcontrol, commitment and integrity, and a person’s ability to communicate, influence, initiate change and accept change [2,3]. In...
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...Introduction 3 II. Why Virtual Teams? 3 III. Are Virtual Teams For Me? 4 IV. Virtual Team Challenges and Best Practices 4 1. Communication Challenges 5 A. Cultural and Global Communication Challenges 6 2. Management and Leadership Challenges 7 V. On The Flip Side: Virtualized Project Managers 9 VI. Conclusion 9 Appendix 1: Source: Solomon, 2010, p. 10 11 Appendix 2: Source: Solomon, 2010, p. 12 12 I. Introduction As globalization becomes more prevalent in organizations and telecommunications infrastructure improves, virtual teams are becoming more and more of a reality. Collaboration of work and sharing of knowledge is becoming increasingly important as businesses promote more agile and just-in-time production. Many businesses realize that virtual teams can provide them with these competitive advantages. However, as virtual teams grow in popularity (Cascio et al., 2000), the challenges that come with managing these teams become more apparent. This is due to problems that naturally come from a virtual environment, such as communication deficiency, lack of motivation, and non-transparent management. This report is intended to inform project managers and IT professionals about the challenges of virtual team management and provide best practices for handling these challenges. In this paper, we will be looking at managing three different configurations for virtual teams: virtualized workers with an in-house project manager, virtualized project manager (or outsourced...
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...Human Capital Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Aysar Sussan Term: 01/2015 Submission date: 26th of July Abstract The word “cross border teamwork” becomes nowadays more popular in every multinational organization. Global business Management needs cross-border teamwork for effective communication and contribution. Big companies have subsidiaries in various countries which differ in culture, time zone and language and other important aspects. This makes effective cross-border teamwork sometimes very difficult however it helps companies to improve competitive advantages and achieve goals properly when doing right. This exercise consists of 3 parts and focuses and setting up and forming such a team. Furthermore issues coming along with running a team and resource sharing will be discussed as well. Question 1 – Forming a cross border Team The main function of Human Resource Management is selecting and recruiting members. Virtual Teams are somehow different than local teams. It needs special qualifications such as proficiency in using communication software such a skype etc. for conferences. Furthermore an ability to form team relationships quickly and effectively is important in order to have a good engagement within the team. Proper communication both written and spoken in a virtual environment across cultures is necessary. As a next step team members must be provided with certain kind of resources in order to work properly. Resources such as training, expectations, software etc. to give...
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...Virtual Teams: A Review of Current Literature and Directions for Future Research1 Anne Powell Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Gabriele Piccoli Cornell University Blake Ives University of Houston Abstract Information technology is providing the infrastructure necessary to support the development of new organizational forms. Virtual teams represent one such organizational form, one that could revolutionize the workplace and provide organizations with unprecedented levels of flexibility and responsiveness. As the technological infrastructure necessary to support virtual teams is now readily available, further research on the range of issues surrounding virtual teams is required if we are to learn how to manage them effectively. While the findings of team research in the traditional environment may provide useful pointers, the idiosyncratic structural and contextual issues surrounding virtual teams call for specific research attention. This article provides a review of previously published work and reports on the findings from early virtual team research in an effort to take stock of the current state of the art. The review is organized around the input – process – output model and categorizes the literature into issues pertaining to inputs, socio-emotional processes, task processes, and outputs. Building on this review we critically evaluate virtual team research and develop research questions that can guide future inquiry in this fertile are of inquiry. ACM Categories:...
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...Virtual Teams - Plus and Minus: Synopsis: While the business grows more and more global, the virtual communication turns out to be the most effective mode of communication among team members. For a business that is very vast and spread throughout the world, the conventional face-to-face communication is obviously difficult. Team members communicating face-to-face or over computer-media, both have advantages and disadvantages: Face-to-face communication: Advantages: * Visual cues and social presence in face-to-face dialogue also stimulates members to more easily develop interest about one another's background and expertise. * These cues also build trust. Disadvantages: * The price pays a major role for business that is spread across multiple locations. * Minority expression is lower in face-to-face mode. Virtual communication: Advantages: * The teams from multiple locations can merge with lesser cost of travel, by making use of advanced technology. * It allows communication across time zones. * Since the technology plays a major part here, the available information is better shared, and explained concretely. Disadvantages: * Technology has the potential to 'de-stabilize' the relationship between the organization and its employees. Although virtual communication cannot offer advantages of face-to-face communication...
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...Managing a virtual workplace The article Managing a Virtual Workplace focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of virtual workplaces and the tools needed for managers. There are many business reasons for a virtual workplace: reduced real estate expenses, increased productivity, higher profits, improved customer service, access to global markets and environmental benefits. There are also many disadvantages of a virtual workplace: set-up and maintenance costs, loss of cost efficiencies, cultural issues, feelings of isolation, and lack of trust. Virtual teams are not appropriate for every job or company. This article is about how to overcome the disadvantages and emphasizes the advantages of a virtual workplace and hoe managers will adapt to the new challenge of managing a virtual workplace. Critical success factors for global virtual teams This article focuses on the success and failures of virtual teams. There are several factors that determine the success or failure of virtual teams and they are: • Team Formation • Trust and Collaboration • Team Communication Within the team foundation, there has to be a clear sponsorship, agreed goals, awareness of cultural influences, and the right competencies and skills. Trust and collaboration are key skills in having a successful virtual team. Team communication is also a very important key in the success of a virtual team. You must stay connected with the members on your team and meet on a regular basis via e-mail...
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...IE 6840 - PROJECT MANAGEMENT ASSIGNMENT - 7 VIRTUAL TEAMS - PLUS AND MINUS Write a brief synopsis of each article listed above by identifying the major points of wisdom that you wish to consider in your future projects and why these points. Virtual groups are productive and innovative than Conventional Group; virtual colleagues may start to feel estranged from their associations. Generally dispersed colleagues who add their insight to the may expect that they are affecting their own substitution. Innovation can possibly destabilize the relationship in the middle of associations and workers. Virtual groups use innovation well, better ready to share unequivocal information, which can be disclosed solidly contrasted with conventional up close and personal groups. Inferred learning – which is created through experience and social contact, is hard to share without direct contact. This can prompt confinement and dissatisfaction. The Advantages are Visual cues and social presence in face-to-face dialogue also stimulates members to more easily develop interest about one another's background and expertise. These cues also build trust. Few Disadvantage are the price pays a major role for business that is spread across multiple locations. And Minority expression is lower in face-to-face mode. IS THE MICROPHONE ON Write a brief synopsis of each article listed above by identifying the major points of wisdom that you wish to consider in your future...
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...Selected Thesis Topics for BScBA students Bachelor´s Thesis 2013-2014 Please use this list of the fields of International Business for thesis work and potential thesis topics when choosing and informing us the field of your thesis + the thesis topic in the form Indication of Interest Area for Thesis 2013-2014. Part 1. Thesis topics for companies and other organizations We have first listed the thesis projects that are available to do for companies and organizations. If you are interested in these projects, please mark the topic to the Indication of Interest Area form the same way than any other topic. It should be noted that the students selected to do the thesis from these topics must be motivated and committed for the work. Please do not contact these organizations yourself before the selection process has been completed for all students. More information on topics can be asked from Mari Syväoja or Tomi Heimonen. Organization: Thesis Biofenno projects for (www.biofenno.fi) companies and organizations Selected Thesis Topics for companies and organizations Internationalization plan Plan how to take and promote product Tuovi Tuotevirtakirjanpito to EU markets. Tuovi Tuotevirtakirjanpito is a stock and feed recording program for organic farmers. It produces necessary stock and feed reports for annual inspection. Also stock balance reporting benefits farm managements. Because Tuovi Tuotevirtakirjanpito complies with all the regulations EU has set for organic farmers, it has...
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...2 ICTs AND GLOBAL WORKING IN A NON-FLAT WORLD Geoff Walsham Judge Business School University of Cambridge Cambridge, U.K. Abstract This paper rejects the hypothesis of Thomas Friedman that ICT-enabled globalization is driving us toward a flat world. Instead, it is argued that the world remains uneven, full of seams, culturally heterogeneous, locally specific, inequitable, not well-integrated and constantly changing. This argument is supported by an analysis of three areas of ICT-enabled global working, namely global software outsourcing, global IS roll-out, and global virtual teams. The paper then builds on these analyses to put forward an agenda for future IS research on ICTs and global working based on three research themes: identity and cross-cultural working; globalization, localization and standardization; and power, knowledge, and control. The paper concludes that the area of ICTs and global working offers the IS field a major research opportunity to make a significant contribution to our understanding of a set of crucial issues in our more globalized world. Flat world, globalization, global software outsourcing, global IS roll-out, global virtual teams, IS research agenda, identity, cross-cultural working, standardization, power, knowledge, control Keywords 1 INTRODUCTION The changes taking place in the global economy, including those in the burgeoning services component, are the subject of much debate by a wide range of commentators including journalists, practitioners...
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...Introduction Virtual project team has been the new trend in the global environment. It has been accepted by increasingly enterprises in recent years. Ariss, Nykodym, and Cole-Laramore [1] define a virtual team as a group of skilled individuals who communicate electronically. Through modern communication tools, a project can recruit team members around the world despite of geographically distant locations. All the members in the virtual project teams share a common project purpose like traditional project teams. Both traditional project teams and virtual project teams are conducted in the same model basically. However, as virtual teams generally have few physical interaction and separate in diverse locations, increasing risks are cultivated. In this case, it requires the project manager of virtual team with special competence to lead his/her team. Virtual managers need training for virtual skill sets, including management strategies and styles, communication techniques, and cross-culture skills [2]. To keep adopting traditional leadership, traditional management skills, and traditional communication skills in virtual project often causes poor-quality results and unhappy, frustrated project teams [3]. Therefore, when virtual managers enjoy the benefits from the virtual teams, they have to suffer the challenges as well. In this article, the challenges and benefits of leading a virtual team is discussed. Majority challenges and benefits are like two sides of a coin. They are...
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...multi-part series) Future of Work Enabler: Virtual Collaboration Cloud-powered social and mobile tools can help break down traditional hierarchies and enable employees across disciplines to easily locate and share business-critical insights with experts inside and outside the organization’s four walls. This report is an installment in our multi-part series that explores the shifts necessary for future-proofing your company. | FUTURE OF WORK ation Executive Summary In today’s knowledge economy, virtual teams are the norm. With expertise distributed around the world, teams “swarm” to complete a task and depart when finished. Knowledge work is not performed in linear, production-line fashion; it involves idea-sharing, iterative discussions and real-time modifications. In traditional business, change was first agreed upon, then planned and executed. But in today’s world, change happens organically, thanks to the interconnectedness afforded by social networks and the Web, otherwise known as “wirearchy.”1 Roles and responsibilities — once carved into the org chart — are fluid and ever-changing. The most valuable contributor to a project may turn out to be someone you don’t even know. Leaders aren’t appointed or anointed by management; they’re recognized by the community based on the perceived strength of their contributions. Leadership is dynamic and changes during the lifetime of a project; the way forward is often determined by project role, skill and circumstance. However...
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