Enhancing Team Performance Through Tool Use: How Critical Technology-Related Issues Influence the Performance of Virtual Project Teams

Peter Weimann; Michael Pollock; Elsje Scott; Irwin Brown

doi:10.1109/tpc.2013.2287571

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication Dec 2013

Enhancing Team Performance Through Tool Use: How Critical Technology-Related Issues Influence the Performance of Virtual Project Teams

Peter Weimann Berliner Hochschule für Technik ; Michael Pollock ; Elsje Scott University of Cape Town ; Irwin Brown University of Cape Town

Abstract

Research problem: The project management of virtual teams differs from that of traditional ones. Traditional project risks, such as complexity, the uncertainty of factors influencing the project, and the high interdependency of project tasks must be managed alongside changed temporal, geographic, and cultural dimensions. Only a few studies have investigated the effect of critical technological issues, such as wrong tool selection or limited internet access on performance as well as team and team member satisfaction in virtual work settings. Research questions: How do critical technology-related issues concerning the selection and use of web-based tools influence the performance and satisfaction of virtual project teams? Literature review: Instead of categorizing virtual teams as a type of team that contrasts with traditional or face-to-face teams, the focus has shifted to virtualness as a characteristic present in all teams. Project teamwork is often integrated in university degree programs in order to prepare students appropriately for real-life projects. While these student teams are often not geographically spread across countries, they have a high degree of virtualness because of their diverse team composition, the necessity for working at different places, and the limited face-to-face meeting opportunities. Performance, effectiveness, and satisfaction are central issues in the evaluation and measurement of project teams: Team performance is often evaluated on the basis of acceptance of a specified output by a customer. Through specific mediating processes, team performance can alternatively be assessed by inquiring the team's perception on their performance. Effectiveness can be defined as the achievement of clear goals and objectives and it is often related to the team's performance. Finally, satisfaction can be defined as having three dimensions-satisfaction with the team, the satisfaction of meeting customer needs, and general satisfaction with extrinsic rewards and work. Technology use is substantial for distributed teamwork and can be assessed by the extent to which it supports communication, collaboration, and project-management tasks. Methodology: Fifteen teams were observed and interviewed over a two-year period. The resulting data were analyzed using a Grounded Theory approach, which revealed how the selection and use of tools for communication, collaboration, and project management in the different project activities influenced the team's performance. Results and conclusions: Our results contribute to practice by providing a number of guidelines for the management of virtual teams as well as knowledge required by companies wishing to launch projects with virtual teams. Differing performances of teams can, in many cases, be attributed to such conditions as: internet availability and bandwidth; lack of training for certain tools; the selection and appropriate use of tools; integrated tool support for task management; as well as the promotion of transparency about progress made. It was found that restrictions in internet access of even a single member within a team limited the team's technological choices, which affected the team's performance.

Journal: IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
Published: 2013-12-01
DOI: 10.1109/tpc.2013.2287571
CompPile
Open Access: Closed
Topics: collaborative writing assessment qualitative research book reviews
Export: BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (7)

Menagarishvili et al. (2024)

Getting it Wrong: Student Estimations of Time and the Number of Drafts in Linke…

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
Duong et al. (2023)

Distress Coping Responses Among Teleworkers

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
Cleary et al. (2019)

Developing Strategies for Success in a Cross-Disciplinary Global Virtual Team P…

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Mehlenbacher et al. (2018)

Instructional Design for Online Learning Environments and the Problem of Collab…

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Fuller et al. (2016)

Longitudinal Effects of Computer-Mediated Communication Anxiety on Interaction …

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication

Show all 7 →

Plotnick et al. (2016)

Ingroup Dynamics and Perceived Effectiveness of Partially Distributed Teams

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
Paul et al. (2016)

Global Virtual Team Performance: The Effect of Coordination Effectiveness, Trus…

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication

References (105) · 7 in this index

10.1016/0747-5632(96)00003-9

↗
Lind (1999)

The gender impact of temporary virtual work groups

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
10.1016/S0378-7206(01)00074-X

↗
10.1111/j.1365-2575.2009.00326.x

↗
Han et al. (2011)

Does Medium Matter? A Comparison of Initial Meeting Modes for Virtual Teams

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication

Show all 105 →

katzenbach (1992)

Why teams matter

McKinsey Quarterly
10.1177/1046496496271006

↗
10.1080/13594320344000228

↗
10.1037/1089-2699.6.1.52

↗
10.2307/2392936

↗
10.2753/MIS0742-1222230308

↗
bandura (1997)

Self-Efficacy The Exercise of Control
hackman (2002)

Leading teams Setting the stage for great performance
(2004)

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge
scott (2004)

The alignment of software testing skills of IS students with industry practices

J Inf Technol Educ
10.1177/001872679404700102

↗
10.1108/02683940410543597

↗
10.1146/annurev.psych.47.1.307

↗
10.1108/09593840610718027

↗
10.1177/014920639702300303

↗
10.1109/HICSS.2010.270

↗
10.1037/0003-066X.45.2.120

↗
stahl (1999)

10.1145/320297.320335

Group ↗
10.1023/A:1021272909573

↗
10.1287/orsc.10.6.791

↗
10.1287/orsc.1050.0122

↗
jude-york (2000)

Virtual Teaming Breaking the Boundaries of Time and Place
10.1016/j.hrmr.2005.01.002

↗
10.1016/0959-8022(92)90007-F

↗
10.1002/hfm.4530010402

↗
10.1007/BF00752449

↗
10.1023/A:1021247413718

↗
10.1287/orsc.11.5.473.15200

↗
10.1016/j.ijproman.2012.04.005

↗
10.1016/S0263-2373(99)00090-0

↗
reed (2010)

Project risk differences between virtual and co-located projects

J Comp Inf Syst
Bjorn et al. (2010)

Technology Alignment: A New Area in Virtual Team Research

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
watson-manheim (2002)

Support for communication-based work processes in virtual work

E-Service J ↗
10.1145/1323688.1323714

↗
10.5465/AME.1998.1109047

↗
thomas (2010)

Vital signs for virtual teams: An empirically developed trigger model for technology adap…

MIS Quart ↗
scott (2003)

Using multiple approaches to assess student group projects

E J Inf Syst Eval
moore (2005)

Assessing Media Education A Ressource for Educators and Administrators
10.1007/978-3-642-03115-1_20

↗
baker (1983)

Project Management Handbook
10.1037/0021-9010.79.1.87

↗
10.1111/j.1468-2958.1996.tb00392.x

↗
Fuller et al. (2012)

An Examination of Deception in Virtual Teams: Effects of Deception on Task Perf…

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
10.2307/249476

↗
daft (1984)

Res in Organizat Behav
10.1287/mnsc.32.5.554

↗
10.2307/249417

↗
10.2307/249762

↗
10.1109/HICSS.1999.772701

↗
dennis (2008)

Media, task, and communication processes: A theory of media synchronicity

MIS Quart ↗
10.1287/isre.9.3.256

↗
10.1016/S0378-7206(98)00097-4

↗
10.2307/249689

↗
10.1287/isre.3.1.60

↗
10.1108/13527590610652774

↗
duarte (2001)

Mastering Virtual Teams
grosse (2002)

Managing communication within virtual intercultural teams

Bus Commun Quart ↗
suchman (1987)

Plans and situated actions The problem of human machine communication
10.2753/MIS0742-1222280109

↗
10.1006/obhd.2001.2961

↗
Brewer (2010)

Miscommunication in International Virtual Workplaces: A Report on a Multicase Study

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
10.1287/orsc.12.3.346.10098

↗
burke (2001)

Media effects on the development of cohesion and process satisfaction in computer-support…

Inf Technol People ↗
10.1080/014492998119535

↗
10.2753/MIS0742-1222230309

↗
10.1108/09593840610718036

↗
10.1057/jit.2008.25

↗
Flammia et al. (2010)

Leadership Roles, Socioemotional Communication Strategies, and Technology Use o…

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
10.1108/09593840210444746

↗
10.1023/A:1026145017609

↗
10.2307/3250948

↗
goodman (1988)

Productivity in organizations
kraut (2002)

Distributed Work
Sivunen et al. (2006)

Team Leaders' Technology Choice in Virtual Teams

IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
10.1287/orsc.1040.0101

↗
10.5465/AMP.2007.24286164

↗
10.2307/20159571

↗
10.1108/02683941211252446

↗
10.1007/978-94-011-4441-4_21

↗
10.1177/1046496406292337

↗
10.1111/j.1365-2575.2009.00328.x

↗
10.5465/AMJ.2006.22083020

↗
strauss (1990)

Basics of Qualitative Research Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques
10.1177/1046496407301970

↗
gibbs (2008)

Communication Yearbook 10
10.1177/0165551506062328

↗
10.1145/506740.506745

↗
ebrahim (2009)

Virtual teams: A literature review

Australian J Basic Appl Sci
10.2307/249774

↗
10.1016/j.jm.2004.05.002

↗
gregor (2006)

The nature of theory in information systems

MIS Quart ↗
10.1145/968464.968467

↗
pauleen (2003)

An inductively derived model of leader-initiated relationship building with virtual team …

J Manage Inf Syst ↗
10.1177/1046496406297035

↗
glaser (1967)

The Discovery of Grounded Theory Strategies of Qualitative Research
10.2307/258557

↗
gorgone (2003)

IS 2002: Model curriculum and guidelines for undergraduate degree programs in information…

Commun Assoc Inf Syst
10.1145/1121341.1121482

↗
corbin (2008)

Basics of Qualitative Research
walsham (2002)

Qualitative Research in Information Systems

CrossRef global citation count: 29 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Enhancing Team Performance Through Tool Use: How Critical Technology-Related Issues Influence the Performance of Virtual Project Teams

Abstract

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (7)

References (105) · 7 in this index

Related Articles