1. 15-1 Virtual Teams Chapter 15

2. 15-2 Use of Communication Technologies Creation of virtual teams  Mediated by time, distance, technology  Continuum Two types of technologies  Communication Share information  Collaboration Help teams solve problems, make decisions, work together

3. 15-3 Use of Communication Technologies Impacts:  Work design  Organizational design  Communication patterns  Secondary social effects Limits social relations Impact varies due to cultural and age differences Increases cross-cultural miscommunications

4. 15-4 Communication Technologies and Teams  4 ways to support teams: Gather and present information Help team members communicate Help teams process information Structure group process Use of Communication Technologies

5. 15-5 Use of Communication Technologies

6. 15-6 Use of Communication Technologies Characteristics of Communication Technologies  Axley (1996) Speed Reach Interactivity Cue variety  Reichwald & Goecke (1994) Social presence Media richness  Ability to document the message

7. 15-7 Use of Communication Technologies Insert Table 15.2: Analysis of Communication Methods (p. 287)

8. 15-8 Communication Impacts Status Differences  Equalizes differences in student groups  No effect on actual work teams  Mixed effects on performance Anonymity  Leads to deindividuation  Results: Social loafing Flaming Less pressure to conform More ideas

9. 15-9 Communication Impacts Miscommunication  More conflict (often negative)  Difficulty establishing and maintaining mutual knowledge  Faulty assumptions  Multi-tasking in videoconferencing Communication Norms Etiquette errors

10. 15-10 Team Impacts Task Performance in Virtual Teams  Personal advantages: Flexibility Control over time Empowerment  Personal disadvantages Isolation Increased miscommunication Increased conflict

11. 15-11 Team Impacts Tasks better suited for virtual teams:  Idea generation  Problem solving tasks  Brainstorming chief example Not suited for consensus-seeking tasks (negotiation, decision-making)

12. 15-12 Team Impacts Decision Making  Advantages Sharing of unique information Focused on logic and facts Less distracted by irrelevant social information Research before communicating More participation Higher creativity and performance  Disadvantages Less sharing of information overall Lower team satisfaction and cohesion

13. 15-13 Team Impacts Social Relations  Lower satisfaction in virtual groups Lack of social support Increased stress  Difficulty with cohesion More anonymity Less team identification Difficult to develop trust  Build through: Occasional face-to-face meetings Adopting Life-cycle approach

14. 15-14 Selecting the Right Technology Factors to Consider  Task characteristics  Team characteristics  Group process Theories:  Media richness theory  Adaptive structure theory  Task-technology fit theory

15. 15-15 Selecting the Right Technology Matching Technology to Team and Task  All technologies somewhat useful  Group support systems useful for specialized functions  Not very useful for negotiating highly emotional conflicts

16. 15-16 Selecting the Right Technology Matching Task to Technology Insert Table 15.3: Matching Task to Technology (p. 297)

17. 15-17 Challenge of Virtual Teams Communication Problems  Cross-cultural miscommunications Creating Effective Interpersonal Relationships  Difficult to develop trust Limited success of videoconferencing

18. 15-18 Challenge of Virtual Teams Team Building in Virtual Teams  More time to deal with problems  Face-to-face initial meetings  Instant communication channels  Operating structures  Communication norms  Better training  Appropriate leadership

19. 15-19 Challenge of Virtual Teams Future of Virtual Teams  Changes in technology Project management software Discussion forums Virtual reality environments  Characteristics of new employees More comfortable with technology  New types of social interactions Instant messaging Chat rooms Facebook

20. 15-20 Challenge of Virtual Teams Future of Virtual Teams  Changes in technology Project management software Discussion forums Virtual reality environments  Characteristics of new employees More comfortable with technology  New types of social interactions Instant messaging Chat rooms Facebook

21. 15-18

22. 15-22

23. 15-23

24. Insert Activity: Experiencing Teamwork in a Simulated Virtual Team (p. 303) 15-24