Virtual teams

Harnessing the power of virtual worlds is now a necessity as industry penetrates every corner of our planet
and workers are required to be in touch with teammates on the next block and on distant continents at any
time. In most companies, participating in virtual teams is no longer an exotic exercise, but a bottom-line
requirement.”*
“Often widely separated geographically and located in distant time zones, virtual teams are frequently
composed of members from different cultures who work in different organizations with unfamiliar standards
and models of behavior.”* Members of virtual teams most likely have never met each other in person.*

NetAge, a company that provides consulting services for networked organizations, maintains that the secret
to successful virtual teams is 10 percent technology and 90 percent people.* Likewise the failure of virtual
teams is largely due to people. The substantial role of people in the success of virtual teams prompts the
question: What are some human factors that contribute to the success of virtual teams, and what are some
human factors that contribute to the failure of virtual teams?

Sample Solution