The Management of Business Virtual Teams, Research Paper Example

Introduction

The creation and use of virtual teams in the modern day world of business has been necessitated by the need to cut down on operational costs. While setting up a physical meeting of company associates from all over the globe may appear to be an achievement, it uses up a great deal of company resources making it expensive and unaffordable. However, with the help of technology, the creation of virtual teams has enabled companies to assemble and allocate resources from all over the world in a seamless manner, creating a global virtual network. There are numerous pitfalls and challenges towards optimal virtual team performance. This paper will highlight the key pitfalls and challenges associated with virtual team performance.

Businesses continually employ the use of virtual teams in the 21^st century. This largely owes to the fact that the global market is becoming increasingly competitive, that it requires businesses to adopt cost-effective management and procedural techniques. The mid-1970s ushered in a new way of accomplishing tasks within organizations, the team-based model. This model heavily relied on workgroups to ensure high levels of intrinsic motivation, creativity and most importantly productivity.

While virtual teams offer considerable gains for the modern-day organization, they are faced with numerous challenges that potentially hamper their performance. Literature points to the importance of virtual team management as a determinant of success. Football Club management has of recently been linked to applying similar concepts in management of human resource to realize performance and success.

Literature Review

Morley, S., Cormican, K., and Folan, P. (2015) higlight the different caharcateristics of virtual teams. These characteristics detremine the general performance of virtual teams influenced by the management of the team, i.e. the team leader. Ferris, S. P., and Godar, S. H. (2004) highlight the differenty aspects of virtual teams that influence their success and productivity. The authors postulate virtual team performance is largely dependent on three factors, technology, team member personalities and the team leadership.

Problem Statement

Virtual teams operate and exist in an unorthodox environments when compared to traditional teams. As such, the successful management and optimal performance of virtual teams cannot apply conventional management principles. While their application may work in the short-term, they tend to depreciate in productivity in the long-run.

Virtual team managers are constantly faced with the challenge of ensuring high performance from team members, despite the significant geographical barrier. Virtual team managers require team management strategies tailored for the virtual environment, while taking into account the limitations faced by each elements in the virtual team.

Football (soccer) management in the English premier league has received considerable attention as a result of high performance depicted by certain managers. An analysis of high performing managers depicts specific management techniques that guarantee success over extended periods of time. These management strategies can be effectively applied in virtual team environments to guarantee improved productivity and team member satisfaction.

Purpose Statement

The paper examines the factors that make soccer managers successful by analyzing the case study of Sir Alex Ferguson. It derives the success factors and draws comparison to success factors of virtual teams. The aim is to determine the applicability of football management success factor on virtual team performance management.

Research Questions and Methodology

The scope and depth of the research and study will be limited to research questions. They include:

• What are the most important factors that influence successful football management can be applied in virtual team management?
• What are the factors that determine success in the management of a football club?
• What factors influence the success and productivity of virtual team?
• What limitations exist in the application of identified factors in virtual team management?

Summary

The proposed research highlights the factors that influence the productivity of virtual teams and attempts to apply management strategies from football club management in the premier league. It delves into the case study of former Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, critically analyzing the successful management strategies employed by the manager to develop a corporate culture geared towards productivity and success.

Reflective Paper

Business management is a complex and intricate science that requires the application of different academic, professional and individual skills. The preparation of this project has significantly increased my understanding of business management through the various facets entailed in the virtual team management. This is evident in the numerous tasks that are required for the successful completion of the project.

My short-term career goals is to excel in human resource management, specifically as regards to virtual teams. This role would help me develop an understanding of the critical factors that determine the continued success and productivity of virtual teams within an organization. This also entails enhancing team-building skills and managing complex business operations by engaging with professionals from different functional backgrounds.

My long-term career goal is to co-found a virtual human resource center that avails businesses and their employees a secure platform to conduct business operations. An MBA is in line with these career goals as it avails me the opportunity to realize my short-term and long-term career objectives. It enables me develop a higher understanding of the complexity of human resource management and ensuring productivity of units from different functional areas.

The development of a virtual human resource center considerably depends on the ability to effectively manage the critical elements of virtual team performance. This requires extensive knowledge, study and research into the management theories applied in different sectors and how they can be applied to virtual team performance..

References

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Bell, A., Brooks, C., & Markham, T. (2013). The performance of football club managers: skill or luck. Economics & Finance Research, 1, 19-30. Retrieved December 13, 2015, from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/21649480.2013.768829

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Elberse, A., & Ferguson, A. (2013). Ferguson’s Formula. Harvard Business Review, 1-11. Retrieved December 13, 2015, from https://agis93.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/hbr_article_-_fergusons_formula_01.pdf

Ferris, S. P., & Godar, S. H. (2004). Virtual and Collaborative Teams: Process, Technologies and Practice. Hershey: Idea Group Publishing. Retrieved December 13, 2015, from http://www.tmp.ucsb.edu/files/leonardi/publications/distance.pdf

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Morley, S., Cormican, K., & Folan, P. (2015). An ANalysis of Virtual Team Characteristics: A Model for Virtual Project Managers. Jounral of Technology Management and Innovation, 188-203. Retrieved December 13, 2015, from http://www.jotmi.org/index.php/GT/article/download/1658/956

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