S. Army Logistics Network has found that performance scores significantly increase for teams when they are trained on new processes and systems in the same location as well (Shipley, Johnson, Hashemi, 2009)
The potential for creating virtual teams to more efficiently streamline complex processes in supply chains showed early promise (Bal, Gundry, 1999) and has since led to the development of knowledge-based virtual teams that are strategic and process-driven in nature (Lee-Kelley, Sankey, 2008). As virtual teams and the systems, technologies and processes used to support them have grown more collaborative in nature, knowledge development and retention, not merely production, has become the new measure of their effectiveness (Stevens, Karkkainen, Lampela, 2009)
Army Logistics Network is comprised entirely of enlisted and career military personnel, retention is not as much of an issue for leaders as is it in the commercial sector, yet morale is critical for learning to occur. Mastery of a specific knowledge area is critical for job satisfaction, especially for remote employees (Weiss, 2002)
In addition, virtual teams provide a means by which companies can recruit, hire and retain the most qualified employee who may live long distances away and who might be otherwise unable or unwilling to relocate to take a position with the company. Likewise, virtual teams provide the flexibility that companies need to adapt and realign the team when project requirements change or team members depart (Kerber & Buono, 2004)
The first point made by McGarvey is that virtual teams are not suitable for every person. Specifically, McGarvey notes that they are not suitable for hands-on tasks and not suitable for projects that require "high sensitivity to nuances that are easy to miss when face-to-face contact is lacking" (McGarvey 1997, p
¶ … team have to address the challenges and leverage the opportunities associated with operating as this particular type of virtual team Multinational virtual teams allow organizations to benefit from the cultural knowledge conveyed to the base organization from interacting with employees from local businesses without some of the costs of transferring members of the organization abroad. Organizational members can be mobile "any place, any time, anywhy" in a virtual team without leaving behind family, friends, and familiarity (Collings, Doherty, Luethy, & Osborn 2011, p
Simply disseminating knowledge about the culture "may or may not be adequate to understand the actions of others and guide the behaviors of an expatriate. Expatriates may or may not be aware of their knowledge limitations" (Haslberger, Brewster, & Hippler 2011, p
Building social capital as a team is also vital for a virtual team. "The potential and actual social capital that expatriates hold is an under-recognized outcome from a deliberate strategy" (Welch & Steen 2013)
In addition, this implies ensuring that the personnel or employees of the organization are prepared for change. Change management is imperative, as most individuals including employees are usually resistant to change (Pappas, 2006)
This is very consistent and applicable in the management setting of the present business environment. As majority of the organization are making use of virtual teams, it is imperative to make use of Theory Y, which was advanced by McGregor and Motivation-Hygiene theory by Herzberg that are in alignment with the hypothesis (Tyler, 2008)
The team can define roles, create a decision matrix, and use the SMART model to create a common framework for aligning their objectives in person. Although the team will get to meet in person, this framework can also help them later in the project overcome the disadvantages of not being able to meet face-to-face (Harwood, N
The team should meet virtually on a weekly basis (or even more frequent basis) to discuss the project's progress as well as meet on an impromptu manner whenever an obstacle or challenge presents itself. The project should also designate a "sensemanager" to guide the team's conversations using the 5C to allow the team leader and members stay focused on the purpose, content, and outcome of the team's project (Hinrichs, Seiling, & Stavros, N
As Andriessen (2012) shows, there are positive and negative effects to using collaboration technology -- what needs to be better described is how these effects are produced and why. Because of the still relative newness of virtual teams and collaborative technology (Gilson, Maynard, Young, 2015), it is essential to organizational success in the Digital Age that these concepts be understood as fully as they possibly can be