Investigating the Impacts of Virtual Team Collaboration in Organisational Performance: A Case Study on Effective Virtual Team Collaboration at Johnson and Johnson

By

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank my supervisor for supporting me throughout my project and giving his valuable suggestions. Finally thanks to all my friends and family for their utmost support and inspiration.

DECLARATION

I, (Your name), would like to declare that all contents included in this dissertation stand for my individual work without any aid, & this dissertation has not been submitted for any examination at academic as well as professional level previously. It also represents my own views & not essentially the ones associated with university.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

ABSTRACT

Virtual teams are a burgeoning presence in the corporate environment today. Research shows that virtual teams have begun to surpass conventional teams in meeting the demands of organizations that are increasingly called on to apply and respond to new technologies that support, and in some cases, require a virtual teamwork approach. In order to fully understand the factors that contribute to the success of virtual teams, it is important to explore actual virtual team members' attitudes and opinions toward work environment and performance. This study assessed the perceptions, attitudes and opinions of virtual team leaders and members with regard to larger factor classifications, such as communications, technology, team dynamics and effectiveness, as well as personal and professional satisfaction. A qualitative research design was used in this study, incorporating both interview and survey data in the analyses. The sample for the study included 95 virtual team leaders, managers and team members working on current or past virtual projects in a variety of businesses, locations, industries, and demographics throughout the United States. Participants were chosen through purposive sampling. A survey questionnaire, consisting of both open-ended and close-ended questions, designed to collect both qualitative and quantitative data, was used in this study. The participants generally reported that virtual team environments were conducive to better performance. Emphasis on achievement, support for diversity, independence and proactive information sharing were perceived as more important for virtual team environments than conventional team environments. Team member dedication, team leader management skills, and technological support were the most likely factors in achieving such success. Some common advantages of the virtual team environment were greater independence, ease of collaboration, ready access to experts, who would otherwise be inaccessible, reduced stress, fewer distractions, and greater diversity among team members. Future research should focus on individual personality characteristics and demographics associated with virtual team success, productivity, and performance.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT2

DECLARATION3

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION7

Background7

Problem Statement9

Purpose10

Theoretical Framework11

Research Questions12

Nature of the Study12

Significance of the Study13

Definitions14

Summary15

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW17

Background of the Virtual Team Approach17

Concept of Virtual Distance18

Purpose and Contribution of Virtual Teams20

Types of Virtual Teams22

Characteristics of a Virtual Team25

Components of Effective Virtual Teams30

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY35

Research Methods and Design36

Participants39

Materials/Instruments40

Data Collection, Processing, and Analysis40

Methodological Assumptions, Limitations, and Delimitations42

Ethical Assurances44

Summary47

CHAPTER 4: CONTEXT48

Data Analysis48

CHAPTER 5: FINDINGS50

CHAPTER 6: DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS58

Team Cooperation and Collaboration60

Personal Independence60

Personal Motivation61

Team Productivity62

Personal and Professional Satisfaction62

Team Performance63

Sense of Belonging64

Team Identification65

Support and Diversity65

Evaluation of Findings66

CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSION74

Recommendations75

Limitations76

REFERENCES77

APPENDIX88

Appendix A: Qualitative Phase ...