Virtual Teams and Management Challenges

Abstract

Collaboration is becoming increasingly important in creating the knowledge that makes business morecompetitive. Virtual teams are growing in popularity [1] and many organizations have responded totheir dynamic environments by introducing virtual teams. Additionally, the rapid development of newcommunication technologies such as the Internet has accelerated this trend so that today, most of thelarger organization employs virtual teams to some degree [2]. A growing number of flexible andadaptable organizations have explored the virtual environment as one means of achieving increasedresponsiveness [3]. Howells et al. [4] state that the shift from serial to simultaneous and parallel workinghas become more commonplace. Based on conventional information technologies and Internet-basedplatforms virtual environments may be used to sustain companies’ progress through virtual interactionand communication.