Abstract As technology has evolved, the reality of virtual organizations has begun to take hold in a variety of industries. This paper looks at how it is now commonplace for employees to work, at least in part, from off-site. Telecommuting is a reality that has allowed companies to reduce costs, become more competitive, and facilitate happier, more productive employees. The writer examines how virtual employment, or telework, is one of the most radical departures from standard working conditions in the suite of flexible work practices now gaining widespread acceptance. The paper provides a literature review of this growing trend and the challenges facing human resource managers.
Abstract
Executive Summary
Literature Review
Discussion
From the Paper "Information Technology team members are particularly well suited for virtual positions. Technology today allows IT professionals to remotely assist users, at any hour of the day. Innovations such as web cams have even added a personal touch to remote IT staff. However, managing virtual employees requires new strategies, to ensure they are performing as effectively and efficiently as possible. Kirkman, Rosen, Gibson, Tesluk, & McPherson (2002) note the challenges virtual employees my face, especially as members of virtual teams. They identify ?five challenges that organizations can expect to encounter in establishing, maintaining, and supporting virtual teams, e.g., building trust, cohesion, and team identity, and overcoming isolation among virtual team members.? Watson-Manheim, Chudoba, and Crowston (2002) note that virtual work environments create ?discontinuities (which) are gaps or a lack of coherence in aspects of work.? "
Abstract The writer explains that virtual teams are making it possible to bring together experts from remote locations so that they can work together electronically as though they were in the same room. This paper discusses the virtual team concept, keys to implementing it successfully, specialized software that can be used to support it, and suggestions from some managers experienced at using it.
From the Paper "Virtual teams are making it possible to bring together experts from remote locations so that they can work together electronically as though they were in the same room. This paper discusses the virtual team concept keys to implementing it successfully specialized software that can be used to support it and suggestions from some managers experienced at using it. Virtual teams are justifiably one of the most lauded ... "
This paper looks at the work of Janet Cardiff, examining the ways in which she uses her voice and other sounds to create a false but convincing "virtual" reality.
2,025 words (approx. 8.1 pages), 4 sources, 2005, $ 80.95
Abstract This paper examines two of the audio installation works of Canadian artist Janet Cardiff "The Large Slow River" and "Missing Voice" in the context of creating virtual realities. The paper also looks at aspects of the history of recorded sound and voice. In addition, the writer discusses virtual reality as a personal storytelling device. The first page presented in this article is a research proposal.
From the Paper "The creation of virtual reality is an attempt to re-create the world of actual human experiences through digital means, always attempting to make it more and more realistic. Janet Cardiff's work attempts this also, but without using digital visual representations of reality. Instead she uses sounds and words to elicit the memory and pre-existing knowledge of the audience/participant. This process creates an even more realistic "virtual reality," since memory often involves synesthesia, using all five of your own senses and not just the digitally created artificial ones of computer "virtual reality"."
Abstract This paper examines the positive effects of hardware virtualization upon American businesses. Specifically, the paper concludes that the available literature is fairly unanimous in asserting that virtual hardware cuts down on server redundancy, gives organizations greater operational flexibility as it pertains to their operating systems, and ultimately saves businesses money. This paper pursues a qualitative rather than a quantitative analysis of the topic insofar as there is very little available empirical data present in the literature (at least at this time). The paper also finishes with a look at areas which should be explored in future research.
From the Paper "Hardware virtualization has quickly emerged over the last three to four years as a major development in software technology. The following paper will explore this phenomenon by examining the qualitative data which exists on this subject at the moment. More particularly, this study is a qualitative rather than empirical assessment of the available literature and, as such, it explores the general ideas and views of business analysts, business leaders and technicians who will be - or already are - using the technology on a daily basis."
Abstract This paper provides a basic explanation of virtual private networks and how they operate, with an emphasis on their many levels of security. It looks at the problem of security of private data.
From the Paper "With the advent of globalization many companies now have wide area networks WANs for communicating with their offices and customers around the world. WANs are superior to public networks in terms of reliability performance and security but they are expensive due to the cost of the leased lines used to support them. Now that the Internet reaches around the world therefore many companies are reducing costs by using it as a virtual WAN instead of installing a physical WAN. These virtual private networks VPNs are ..."
Tags: VPN, virtual private networks, encryption, IP security, firewall
Abstract This paper considers training and development for a virtual team concept for a beer company expanding operations in Italy and Germany, noting how the team concept has become more common in recent years. It looks at how it has been used with problem-solving teams, cross-functional planning teams, sales teams, technology integration teams, with teams serving to improve coordination and cooperation, empower people, direct creativity and innovation and cut costs.
From the Paper "The move by this beer company to expand operations in Italy and Germany will follow the virtual team concept and requires particular emphasis on training and development, especially with reference to the creation of virtual teams. Italy and Germany are selected for their particularly advanced status as countries with strong brewing culture and so with an already-trained workforce for this sort of expansion. Longenecker and Neubert (2000) note how the use of teams has become more common in recent years and has been seen with problem-solving teams, cross-functional planning teams, sales teams, technology integration teams, and so on. Teams serve to improve coordination and cooperation, empower people, direct creativity and innovation, and cut costs. "
Abstract This paper answers the following questions: What are some of the challenges unique to managing virtual teams? What are common causes of failure in virtual team arrangements? How does a manager create a sense of team among people who spend little or no time in the same physical space? What can managers do to foster successful virtual teams?
Table of Contents
Abstract
A day in the Life of a Virtual Team
What is a Virtual Team ?
Challenges in Managing Virtual Teams?
Globalization
Managing Workforce Diversity
Dealing with Temporariness
Causes of Failure in Virtual Team Arrangements?
Battling Remoteness
Overcoming Communication Obstacles
Tackling Geography
Technology Challenges
Leveraging the Differences
Addressing Division of Labor
Successful Virtual Teams Management
Building Trust
Isolation
Building Cohesion and Team Identity
Summary
Works Cited
Other Works Consulted
From the Paper "A day in the life of a virtual team If you were to spend a day watching a virtual team in action, it might look something like this. Joe, a sales representative managing a five-state territory, began his day in Atlanta, which is over 600 miles from his home office and over 3000 miles from corporate headquarters. Upon leaving his first meeting of the day, he was asked to return the following day, first thing in the morning, to present to executive management. There was only one hitch. In an effort to get executive management to the meeting, Joe promised that the presentation would include existing customer satisfaction testimony, a live demonstration of how the products would effectively solve their technical operations issues, a walk through of a return on investment analysis, a discussion on deployment timeframes, and that there would be time for Q&A with management and developers at the end of the meeting. Joe also had three more meetings to get to that day before he could start to prepare for the next morning."
Abstract The paper explains virtualization and shows how this can change the way organizations manage information technology. The paper then explores the additional technologies associated with the use of virtualization, namely, virtual machines and virtual machine ware (VMware). The paper concludes by predicting the future of VMware.
From the Paper "Virtualization works by allowing users to change hardware devices into software. For instance Vmware ESX Server software can be used to make virtual the hardware of an x86-based computer. This allows for the development of a virtual machine that has the capacity to run an operating system and applications in the same way that an actual or physical computer does ("Introduction to Virtualization").
"As you can see, virtualization is a technology that is on the cutting adge and has the capacity to forever alter the manner in which organizations manage information technology. There are several additional technologies associated with the use of virtualization. These components are Virtual Machines and Virtual Machine Ware (Vmware) and will be discussed in the following paragraphs."
Tags: hardware, software, compatibility, encapsulation, infrastructure, server, operating, systems
Abstract This paper examines the complexities of doing business in our virtual age, looking at the particular challenges of marketing a virtual bookstore. At the center of this paper is a case study of an individual who once owned a bricks-and-mortar bookstore and considered opening a virtual bookstore, only to find the marketing challenges too great. This study shows how the booksellers have had to adjust their own business practices so that they could interact in the smoothest possible way with virtual stores. This paper then presents some possible modifications that will allow this particular bookseller to succeed in today's virtual age.
From the Paper "Independent bookstores have traditionally taken chances on new authors, who often contribute substantially to making the marketplace of ideas more diverse. But the number of independent bookstores ? which have allowed new writers to find their audiences ? seems to decrease each day. The loss of these bookstores is not the same as the closing of a cute clothing boutique; each independent that closes takes with it some measure at least of the freedom of expression that exists only when it is used. The support of these newly emergent authors is something that virtual bookstore owners can use as a marketing strategy. This man, who is planning to open a virtual mystery bookstore later this year, intends to use this as a marketing strategy. Especially for mystery readers there's always this search for new authors. Mystery readers tend to read a lot of books and they"re always running out of new works to read by their favorites, so they"re always looking for new writers. And that's often very hard to find in a Barnes and Noble because they"re committed to these huge profits and sales figures. I"m not looking for that. I?m looking to make a little bit of a profit ? and I want to be part of the mechanism that brings new authors into the public arena. And I know that there are a lot of people who would appreciate that. I go to conferences all the time, and people are always asking when there's going to be a bookstore all about new voices."
Abstract This analysis focuses on two articles on virtuality or virtual literature, including "The Condition of Virtuality" by N. Katharine Hayles and "The Written Word" by Walter J. Ong. The analysis compares and contrasts the views of Ong and Hayles on computer or electronic literature and conventional printed texts. Both Ong and Hayles maintain that virtual literature expands not limits subjectivity and the learning process from the flow of information.
From the Paper "Meaning is culturally constructed The word first orally transmitted then transmitted through print and now electronically transmitted remains paramount in the creation and transmission of meaning. Walter J Ong suggests that the .."
Tags: perception, Internet, World Wide Web, time, space, meaning, construction, deconstruction, reality, cyborgs, understanding, meaning, reading
Abstract This paper explains that the emergence of virtual teams is satisfying the needs of different organizations because of globalization, mergers and acquisitions of companies in different geographical locations. The author points out that, with recent developments in the field of communication technology, traditional teams are being replaced by a virtual teams. The paper defines virtual teams as a collection of people, specifically tailored to the task that needs to be completed, relying on electronic forms of communication to accomplish its goals, across time, space and organizational boundaries. The author states that virtual teams reduce costs, permit the organization to work 24 hours a day and enhances the employment of the best people. The paper stresses that developing a virtual work team is not so different from developing a centrally located team.
From the Paper "Virtual teams are supported by both hardware and software. The common hardware that is used includes telephones, computers, modems or network cards, and communication links such as the telephone system and local area networks (internet access). Several kinds of technologies including video conferencing, groupware software, newsgroups, bulletin boards, electronic mail, and intranets can assist in making work coordination for virtual teams relatively simple and highly effective. Desk top video- conferencing in addition to "traditional" video conferencing are now being used."
Tags: collaborative costs, high trust, visuals face-to-face
Abstract The paper examines "Remediation" by David Bolter and Richard Grusin, which looks at the changing relationships between people and the media. The paper concentrates on the chapter "The Virtual Self", which deals with the way human identities are transformed by their interactions with virtual technologies. The paper discusses Cartesian philosophy and shows how the concept of the virtual self totally disproves the Cartesian beliefs. The paper provides examples of virtual selves in contemporary media.
From the Paper "A major section of this chapter(pages 248-254) deals with the ways in which the mind and the body interact with virtual environments. These arguments look at Cartesian and anti-Cartesian elements of the virtual self.
"In order to understand these arguments it is first necessary to have an understanding of Cartesian philosophy. Basically Cartesian philosophy is based on the work of Rene Descartes. Descartes basically sees the mind and body as separate entities."
Tags: Cartesian, philosophy, Descartes, human, identities, technology, media
Abstract In this essay, the author critically reviews and analyzes an article, entitled "Trust and the virtual organization: How do you manage people whom you do not see" by Jack Handy. In his article, Handy explores the concept of the virtual office and explains the potential effects of the virtual workplace on management, organizations, and society in general. The author of this paper gives a thorough but concise summary of the main points from within Handy's article. Following the synopsis, the author then critically reviews and analyzes the article.
From the Paper "At the organizational level, Handy says that employee motivation and loyalty will have to be approached in an entirely different way in the virtual organization. In the traditional workplace, the worker was a "hired hand, a human resource, employed to work the assets of the organization. Good pay, good prospects, and a challenging job were enough for most". Handy argues that this has changed, and the human resource in a virtual office, in an information age, becomes one of the most valuable assets of an organization. As such, it becomes increasingly important, and also increasingly problematic, to obtain the loyalty of workers."
Abstract This paper provides a brief study of virtual office and virtual business and the success of this new model in the present day business environment; which will help us get a better understanding of this developing business culture.
From the Paper "Virtual organizations are different from traditional mergers. A Virtual organization is more of a network of companies that work together towards providing better service by way of their core competencies. In this way the domain expertise of each company in the virtual network is shared with the other members in the network resulting in improved service. Technology, Opportunism, "No Spatial constraints", Trust and Excellence are the five main attributes of any virtual business. [Luthans Fred]. Technology helps companies, which are geographically far dispersed to work together. Opportunism explains the nature of the relationship between the organizations coming together. Traditional merger of companies is a more solid and permanent process. Unlike traditional mergers, which involve a commitment, opportunistic concept in the virtual domain reflects the flexible nature of the relationship. Thus virtual organizations are entirely different from the traditional view of organizations as a highly organized and relatively solid structures. "
Abstract This three-page undergraduate paper compares and contrasts virtual organizations and virtual offices. The paper discusses the pros and cons of the two and comes to a conclusion.
