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Virtual teams: A literature review

Author

Listed:
  • Ale Ebrahim, Nader
  • Ahmed, Shamsuddin
  • Taha, Zahari

Abstract

In the competitive market, virtual teams represent a growing response to the need for fasting time-to-market, low-cost and rapid solutions to complex organizational problems. Virtual teams enable organizations to pool the talents and expertise of employees and non-employees by eliminating time and space barriers. Nowadays, companies are heavily investing in virtual team to enhance their performance and competitiveness. Despite virtual teams growing prevalence, relatively little is known about this new form of team. Hence the study offers an extensive literature review with definitions of virtual teams and a structured analysis of the present body of knowledge of virtual teams. First, we distinguish virtual teams from conventional teams, different types of virtual teams to identify where current knowledge applies. Second, we distinguish what is needed for effective virtual team considering the people, process and technology point of view and underlying characteristics of virtual teams and challenges they entail. Finally, we have identified and extended 12 key factors that need to be considered, and describes a methodology focused on supporting virtual team working, with a new approach that has not been specifically addressed in the existing literature and some guide line for future research extracted.

Suggested Citation

  • Ale Ebrahim, Nader & Ahmed, Shamsuddin & Taha, Zahari, 2008. "Virtual teams: A literature review," MPRA Paper 27001, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Jan 2009.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:27001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Acs, Zoltan J & Preston, Lee, 1997. "Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Technology, and Globalization: Introduction to a Special Issue on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the Global Economy," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 1-6, February.
    2. Manju K. Ahuja & Dennis F. Galletta & Kathleen M. Carley, 2003. "Individual Centrality and Performance in Virtual R& D Groups: An Empirical Study," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(1), pages 21-38, January.
    3. Boehe, Dirk Michael, 2007. "Product development in MNC subsidiaries: Local linkages and global interdependencies," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 488-512, December.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ale Ebrahim, Nader & Ahmed, Shamsuddin & Salwa Hanim, Salwa Hanim & Taha, Zahari, 2011. "Technology Use in the Virtual R&D Teams," MPRA Paper 36487, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Ale Ebrahim, Nader & Ahmed Shamsuddin & Abdul Rashid, Salwa Hanim & Taha, Zahari, 2012. "Effective Virtual Teams for New Product Development," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 7(21), pages 1971-1985.
    3. Senay DEMÝREL & Suha Erdem YABAS & Caglar UCLER & Sait SENER & Metin Recep ZAFER, 2021. "Idea Evaluation in Innovation Management for the New Normal in Banking: A Case Study in Vakýfbank," Journal of BRSA Banking and Financial Markets, Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency, vol. 15(1), pages 1-26.
    4. Gilli, Katharina & Veglio, Valerio & Gunkel, Marjaana & Taras, Vas, 2022. "In search of the Holy Grail in global virtual teams: The mediating role of satisfaction on performance outcomes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 325-337.
    5. Sema Nur Batırlık & Yasin Galip Gencer & Ulas Akkucuk, 2022. "Global Virtual Team Leadership Scale (GVTLS) Development in Multinational Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-20, January.
    6. Ale Ebrahim, Nader & Ahmed, Shamsuddin & Taha, Zahari, 2010. "Virtual R&D teams and SMEs growth: A comparative study between Iranian and Malaysian SMEs," MPRA Paper 26983, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 13 Jul 2010.
    7. Linden, Erik, 2021. "Pandemics and environmental shocks: What aviation managers should learn from COVID-19 for long-term planning," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    8. Nader Ebrahim & Hadi Salehi & Mohamed Embi & Mahmoud Danaee & Marjan Mohammadjafari & Azam Zavvari & Masoud Shakiba & Masoomeh Shahbazi-Moghadam, 2014. "Equality of Google Scholar with Web of Science Citations: Case of Malaysian Engineering Highly Cited Papers," Modern Applied Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(5), pages 1-63, October.
    9. Nader Ale Ebrahim & Shamsuddin Ahmed & Zahari Taha, 2009. "Virtual Teams for New Product Development: An Innovative Experience for R&D Engineers," Post-Print hal-00593361, HAL.
    10. Xiaoyu Zhan & Delia Mioara Popescu & Valentin Radu, 2020. "Challenges for Romanian Entrepreneurs in Managing Remote Workers," Book chapters-LUMEN Proceedings, in: Marcin Waldemar STANIEWSKI & Valentina VASILE & Adriana Grigorescu (ed.), International Conference Innovative Business Management & Global Entrepreneurship (IBMAGE 2020), edition 1, volume 14, chapter 49, pages 670-687, Editura Lumen.
    11. Caputo, Francesco & Soto-Acosta, Pedro & Chiacchierini, Claudio & Mazzoleni, Alberto & Passaro, Pierluigi, 2021. "Smashing local boundaries for sustain companies’ innovativeness: The role of international R&D teams," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 641-649.
    12. Ale Ebrahim, Nader & Ahmed, Shamsuddin & Abdul Rashid, Salwa Hanim & Taha, Zahari, 2010. "Virtual R&D Teams: A potential growth of education-industry collaboration," MPRA Paper 27414, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 28 Jul 2010.
    13. Ale Ebrahim, Nader & Ahmed, Shamsuddin & Taha, Zahari, 2010. "Critical factors for new product developments in SMEs virtual team," MPRA Paper 26936, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 15 Jul 2010.
    14. Marina Papanastassiou & Robert Pearce & Antonello Zanfei, 2020. "Changing perspectives on the internationalization of R&D and innovation by multinational enterprises: A review of the literature," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(4), pages 623-664, June.
    15. Huynh Thi Minh Chau & Nguyen Manh Tuan, 2018. "A conceptual framework of virtual team effectiveness from the socio-technical perspective," HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE - ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY, vol. 8(2), pages 65-94.
    16. Davaei, Mahboobeh & Gunkel, Marjaana & Veglio, Valerio & Taras, Vas, 2022. "The influence of cultural intelligence and emotional intelligence on conflict occurrence and performance in global virtual teams," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(4).
    17. Mattarelli, Elisa & Tagliaventi, Maria Rita & Carli, Giacomo & Gupta, Amar, 2017. "The Role of Brokers and Social Identities in the Development of Capabilities in Global Virtual Teams," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 382-398.
    18. Sylvaine Castellano & Philippe Davidson & Insaf Khelladi, 2017. "Creativity techniques to enhance knowledge transfer within global virtual teams in the context of knowledge-intensive enterprises," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 253-266, April.
    19. Naz Abdulkareem Arif & Moha Asri Bin Abdullah, 2020. "Problems and Global Challenges of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Iran," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 4(12), pages 80-92.
    20. Jasper R. De Vries & Séverine Van Bommel & Karin Peters, 2018. "Trust at a Distance—Trust in Online Communication in Environmental and Global Health Research Projects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-14, November.
    21. Mehmet A. Orhan, 2017. "The Evolution of the Virtuality Phenomenon in Organizations: A Critical Literature Review," Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review, Centre for Strategic and International Entrepreneurship at the Cracow University of Economics., vol. 5(4), pages 171-188.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Virtual team; Literature review; Effective virtual team;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • M12 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Personnel Management; Executives; Executive Compensation
    • L1 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance
    • L7 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Primary Products and Construction
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development
    • M11 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Production Management
    • M54 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Labor Management
    • P42 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Productive Enterprises; Factor and Product Markets; Prices
    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights

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