Assessing the Use of Virtual Teams Term Paper by Nicky

Looks at the use of virtual teams as part of the US Army Logistics Network.
# 149793 | 5,520 words | 24 sources | APA | 2011 | US
Published on Jan 01, 2012 in Business (Information Mgmt. and Systems) , Business (Human Resources) , Military (Branches of Military)


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Description:

This paper explains that, with the omnipresent adoption of the Internet and the corresponding growth of technologies that enable greater levels of collaboration, coordination of complex tasks and greater shared ownership of tasks, the concept of virtual teams also have grown exponentially. Next, the author analyzes how the U.S. Army Logistics Network uses virtual teams to ensure that supply chain processes are improved continually and made more efficient. The paper evaluates the effectiveness, social dynamics and decision making of virtual teams and the obstacles and success factors and looks at communication within virtual teams and the logistics of telecommuting.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Effectiveness, Social Dynamics, and Decision Making of Virtual Teams
Assessing Effectiveness
Assessing Social Dynamics
Analyzing the Obstacles and Success Factors of Virtual Teams
Obstacles
Success Factors
Communication Practices in Virtual Teams
Alternative Office Arrangements
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The social dynamics of virtual teams, over time, are more determined by the leadership style and its level of consistency in terms of being transformational than any nearly any other series of factors. That's because a leader of a virtual team must instill a very high level of trust individually with each virtual team member and also amongst all members of the team as a group. This instilling of trust is what can lead to significant advances and performance gains over time as a virtual team works to accomplish objectives together. Transactional or micromanaging leadership styles on the other hand tend to isolate team members and often lead to factions being created throughout a virtual work team. In the case of the U.S, Army Logistics Network and sits purchasing and procurement virtual teams located across five continents, the use of balanced scorecards that measure and incent greater levels of collaboration across teams are often used to ensure productive social dynamics both within and between teams are attained.
"Social dynamics within the U.S, Army Logistics Network's purchasing and procurement teams can also become highly competitive over time. As one of the most critical processes these teams work on is pricing, the tendency to compete on how far one team member can drive a supplier down in terms of price and then post their accomplishment to the teams' Intranet pages, a securely protected website is commonplace."

Sample of Sources Used:

  • Jay Bal, & John Gundry. (1999). Virtual teaming in the automotive supply chain. Team Performance Management, 5(6), 174.
  • Jay Bal, & P K Teo. (2001). Implementing virtual teamworking: Part 3--a methodology for introducing virtual teamworking. Logistics Information Management, 14(4), 276-292.
  • F Barahona, P Chowdhary, M Ettl, P Huang, & et al. (2007). Inventory allocation and transportation scheduling for logistics of network-centric military operations. IBM Journal of Research and Development, 51(3/4), 391-407.
  • Henri Barki, & Alain Pinsonneault. (2005). A Model of Organizational Integration, Implementation Effort, and Performance. Organization Science, 16(2), 165-179.
  • Brenda Bearden, & Anne Morton. (2006). A Road Map for Federal Strategic Sourcing. Public Manager, 35(1), 34-39.

Cite this Term Paper:

APA Format

Assessing the Use of Virtual Teams (2012, January 01) Retrieved December 09, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/term-paper/assessing-the-use-of-virtual-teams-149793/

MLA Format

"Assessing the Use of Virtual Teams" 01 January 2012. Web. 09 December. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/term-paper/assessing-the-use-of-virtual-teams-149793/>

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