Global Virtual Teams

8/9/2019 Global Virtual Teams

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Lind involvement; how decisions are made; how workwill be reviewed and approved; and how to resolveconflicts. Nothing should be taken for granted. Themeaning of terms such as accountability, coordina-tion, and collaboration^—^and how they should beoperational within the team—also need to be dis-cussed to ensure all team members share a commonunderstanding. In short, bringing cultural issues tothe surface in a positive light can help create aGVT that is enriched, and not paralyzed, by culturaldifferences.

Language represents a particular difficulty forGVTs. English is the de facto language of most Hn-

Key issues in implementing GVTs

PEOPLE• Culture• Language• IT proficiency

T E C H N O L O G Y 1• Access ibility reliability

and compatibility• App ropriate technology

use

guistically diverse GVTs. However, while it may betypical to have English as a second language in manycountries , it is not the case everywhere. Therefore, thefact that one or more team members must speak in aforeign language can easily impede team perfor-mance. Gommunication barriers become even moresevere in an electronic context. For example, it is dif-ficult to flilly participate in a teleconference when onedoes not speak the language fluently. As a result, ateam may lose vital ideas and information or take awrong direction.

Structured communication sessions directed by aformal leader can give every member the time tospeak. Tolerance and empathy are necessary toencourage participation in this context. Writing min-utes at the end of an oral communication session will

help assure all participants understood the same mes-sage. Appropriate training in a foreign language (oftenEnglish) is also highly recommended. Finally, helpfultechnology such as grammar and spell checkers, aswell as language translators, can be integrated intoemail software to facilitate communication.

In a GVT, there can be wide discrepancies in theparticipants technological proficiency. Some teammembers might be comfortable working with group-ware, whiteboards, and videoconferencing, w hile oth-ers might need to be taught how to attach a file to an

email message. Since GVT success is dependent oneffective communication and knowledge sharingamong members, it is essential they feel knowledge-

able about and comfortable with the use of varioustechnologies so they can actively participate. Lack offacility in using computer conferencing, for instance,could exacerbate existing tensions between individu-als from different cultures. It could also lead to amem ber s desire no t to participa te in such meetingsbecause of the media used. As well, differences in ITproficiency can contribute to status variations withina GVT.

To avoid such problems, leaders should providetraining and technical support specifically geared tothose uncomfortable with computers and othertelecommunications technologies. They should alsofocus on a person s ability to prov ide conten t ratherthan on their skills with technological bells andwhisdes.

Technology IssuesIt is widely recognized that collaborative technolo-gies provide powerful support in making GVTs arealiry. GVT members can be linked through a vari-ety of technologies including traditional ones likephones, fax machines, and email, and moreadvanced applications such as desktop videoconfer-encing, collaborative software, intranets, and virtualprivate networks. However, GVT managers arelikely to face unpleasant technological challengessuch as hardware/software incompatibility, unrelia-bility, or unavailability, especially connecting peoplein developing countries. Even narrowband ISDNinfrastructur e Is still not extensively developedwithin current advanced economies and is expensiveto use in some countries.

Therefore, before startiiig a virtual project, itssponsors, with the help of IT specialists, must makesure the required technologies are accessible and com-patible across the various sites and consider the issueof cost and performance. Different countries have dif-ferent cost structures and bandwidth capacitiesregarding Internet access and use, and these must be

considered in the design o a GVT. In addition, soft-ware applications must interface reliably becausewhen systems crash, connections are disrupted, datagets mangled, GVT member efficiency drops, andfrustrations flare. People in scattered locations musthave reliable channels of communication and equalaccess to resources to avoid duplication of effort andredundant costs. Undcrinvesting in technologicalinfrastructure can bring virtual work to a standstill,even though other challenges are fully addressed.GVT leaders must address hardware and softwareaccessibility, reliability, and compatibility issues andensure that all members systems have adequateperformance.


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UNDERINVESTING IN TEC HNO LOG ICAL INFRASTRUCTURE CAN

BRING VIRTUAL WORK TO A STANDSTILL.

Since GVTs have fewer opportunities fot face-to-face meetings, choosing the right technology toaccomplish a task at the right time becomes a matterof survival. Understanding how and when to use thesetechnologies appropriately is not always obvious andrequires considerable trial and error by the GVTleaden One of the major disadvantages of a GV T isthe lack of physical interaction, nonverbal cues, andsynergies that often accompany face-to-face commu-nications. These deficiencies can raise issues of trust.This study found videoconterences may help alleviatea lack of physical interaction. For example, using avideoconference in an initial meeting allows people tobe introduced on a more personal level than if the firstintroduction is conducted via email or teleconference.However, respondents pointed out that unstructuredvideoconferences can easily run astray, resulting inreduced confidence in the projects success and a lossot commitment to the project by team mem bers.

The role of the GVT leader is to establish andmanage an electronic workplace based on a variety oftelecommunication and collaborative systems andtools that support the team's specific needs—needsthat change with the particular task at hand. Eachmedium has strengths and weaknesses and teammembers need to learn how to master the ones at theirdisposal. Some media will work for some tasks andno t for others. For example, teleconferencing orvideoconferencing are much richer than email hutrequire high levels of commitment, flexibility, anddiscipline on the part of several team members.Indeed, some people might have to get up very earlyin the m otnin g while others m ight have to stay up lateat night in order to attend e-meetings. Therefore, if e-meetings disturb team members' lives, they should be

conducted only if necessary. While technology is fun-damental to GVTs, leaders should temember thatface-to-face meetings are an alternative. Ironically, oneof the specific skills a GVT leader needs to develop isthe ability to recognize when a face-to-face meetingmust be organized fot a project to remain on track.

ImplicationsGVTs present new and difficult challenges for allmembers of a team, especially a project leader. Lead-ing a GVT requites more than working on the proj-

ect's agenda. Both human and technological issuesmust remain paramount. Team leaders shotild hetnindful of cultural differences, communication, and

language barriers, and discrepancies in technologicalproficiency among team participants and how thesemake a difference in team effectiveness. Most impor-tantly, they have the prim e responsibility for creatingan electronic workplace that supports the specificand changing needs of the team while ensuring therequired technologies are accessible, reliable, andcompatible. B

L I N E D U E (line.dube( *'hec.ca) is an associate professor in [he

Dep;trtmcni of Information Tcchnologj' at HEC" Montr(?al, Ĉ anad;).

G U Y P A RE (guy.parc&"'hcc.ca) is an associate profewor in ihe

Department o Information Technology at HEC Montr^I, Canada.

Permission to make di^irai or hard copii-s of all or part oFrhis wurk fur personui ur class-room use is j;ranied wirhoiil fee proviileil thut tiipifs aft noi made or distribiitn torprofit or aimmtrcial atlvaniaye and iliat copies bear this nociic and ihv fi.itl itaiiiin imiht first page. To copy oilifrwist. to rcjiublish, lo pust on servers or tii rttlj sen butt- lolists. ret[uires pt or specifit iiemiiMion and/or a itf.

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