Virtual Marketing

Overview of Virtual teams

Virtual teams are groups of individuals spread across the globe and in different time zones that use specific software and electronic communication technology to interact with each other, to effectively perform work related tasks, hence the term “virtual team” or graphically dispersed teams (GDTs) (Sessa, Hansen and Pretridge, 1999).

(Virtual team, 2007, Ð'¶ 8) suggests there are different types of virtual teams;

• Networked team вЂ" individuals who get together to work on a particular task for a given purpose.

• Parallel teams вЂ" quick fixers who make recommendations to improve a system or process.

• Project or Product-development teams вЂ" Work on projects within time constraints for users or customers.

• Work or production teams - Carry out regular and continuous work, normally in one function.

• Management teams вЂ" Work collaboratively on a daily basis.

• Action teams вЂ" activated in quick response to an (mostly) emergency situation.

Lifecycle of a team

According to Brown, Huettner and James-Tanny (2007) the lifecycle stages of virtual teams consists of;

• Forming: Exciting trial balloon phase

• Storming: Various challenges will arise

• Norming: With teambuilding and with use of protocols and processes, things settle down, and every-one knows what’s expected of them

• Performing: Team works well together

• Testing: Specifications and other features are verified and tested.

• Adjourning: Finish up, evaluation; prepare to move onto other things.

An effective team has a shared team focus, expertise, capability and desire to do it Brown et al (2007).

Reasons for a Virtual team

• Perfect platform for individuals to collaboratively work on a task.

• Expands a company’s potential employee base to scope for various and skilled talent.

• Keep up with changing technological advances.

• Growing globalisation of organisations (Virtual team, 2007).

• Perform specialised tasks/projects with a concentrated group of highly skilled individuals who could otherwise not be brought together due to real world issues.

• Competitive advantage.

• Allows people of different parts of the globe to work together and gets around time-zone, cultural and disability differences (Virtual team, 2007).

• Reduces company costs, such as travel, office space, and overhead expenses.

• Prospective global marketing of products, services with fresh ideas from individuals with “inside” geographical and market knowledge.

Challenges

Trust

It is hard to replicate the atmosphere that creates trust within the virtual environment, according to Edwards and Wilson (2001) this is the defining factor as to whether or not 1 year after the initial input of the virtual team programme whether participants continue to collaborate, and take ownership over tasks. It is found participation slumps after a year if team building does not take place.

Some evidence from Geber; Handy (as cited in Sessa et al., 1999) suggests that Virtual teams hinder the development of trust, or that its developed in a different way Coutu; Jarvenpaa, Knoll & Leidner (as cited in Sessa et al, 1999), which according to Brown et al (2007) is crucial for unblocking communication between team members and staying motivated.

Development of trust without the usual face to face contact, needs to be expressed and built up through electronic means, very hard to do, but not impossible.

Communication

Although virtual teams may communicate less then co-located teams the content of this communication is more work related and critical to the team’s success and effectiveness.

Expressing through instant messaging, email, and chat boards can be hassle on normal days in the office, text-based communication cannot replicate body language or tone of voice, which according to (McMahon, 2001) is the main way we interpret the spoken message, in a virtual team text-based communication is the major form used between team members.

The communication issue, compounded by the diverse nature of cultures, traditions and people can become a platform for chaos, therefore proper communication protocols need to implemented to counter this problem.

Logistics

• Communication tools like instant message (IM), web cams, webEx, calendars, and emails require a user-friendly environment, which is interoperability for effective and easy use. platform where every-thing a team member requires to communicate.

• Computer hardware and peripheral devices should be relatively up-to-date to guard against potential compatibility failure.

• Reliable Internet Service Providers with 24 hr help desk.

Project management

• Facilitating team communication.

• Effective project and task management.

• Effective time management procedures.

• Clear communication processes and procedures.

• Appropriate project/task tracking procedure.

• Assessment and acknowledgment of team performance.

Personal management

As well as being organised,

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