Critical Success Factors for Virtual Teams
February 12, 2025
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Many organizations turn to virtual teams to reduce operational costs, faster problem solving and innovate. Depending on the temporal distribution, lifespan, objective and role of members, virtual teams can be classified into the following 8 categories. This article looks at each type of virtual team in greater details. Examples are provided wherever possible to aid a faster understanding.
The lifespan of a networked virtual team depends on how much time it takes to resolve the issue. The networked teams dissolve with the completion of assigned task. Networked teams are widely used in consulting firms and technology companies. However large a consulting firm may be it cannot have adequate resources to meet all its clients need. Therefore most of the consulting firms depend on other external networks to provide quality services to their clients.
For example, Richard Maclean & Associates, an environmental, health and safety (EHS) management consulting firm located in Arizona serving both domestic and international clients relies on other academic and government research organizations like Center for Environmental Innovation, Air and Waste Management Association, Meridian Institute, to name a few to stay competitive at a low cost.
Unlike networked teams, these have constant membership which remains intact till the desired objective is achieved. These are generally formed for short span of time. These are very effective in multinational organizations where a global perspective is needed.
For example, many consumer goods companies team up their sales, marketing, manufacturing and R&D professionals working at different locations into parallel virtual teams to make recommendations for the local adaptation of their product specifications.
The project or product development virtual teams are composed of subject matter experts brought together from different parts of the globe to perform a clearly outlined task involving development of a new product, information system or organizational process, with specific and measurable deliverables.
For example Whirlpool brought together a team of experts from United States, Brazil and Italy for a period of 2 years to develop a chlorofluorocarbon-free refrigerator. Like network teams their membership is also fluid but unlike parallel teams, these can take decisions and not just recommendations. These are typically found in R&D division of the product-based companies.
Service virtual teams have members across difference time zones therefore when one member in Asia goes to sleep, the other member in America wakes up to answer your queries. This is the basic model of service teams which are formed of members spread across widely distinct geographic locations and though each member works independently but they together perform work in continuation. It is like relay race where one takes baton from the other and run the race. These are effective as technical and customer support teams.
NASA forms a virtual action team consisting of leaders sitting in NASA headquarters in Houston, astronauts in space shuttle, engineers & scientists in different locations across the globe for a successful space mission.
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