Applying Deming's PDSA Cycle Model to Improve Quality Performance for Virtual Team Effectiveness

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank my supervisors, friends and family, without their support this research study would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I adjudge that the entire content of this dissertation is entirely my own work; the content used in this dissertation has not been submitted before in any educational institution and represents my own opinion.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

ABSTRACT

In this research study, the study focuses on evaluating whether the performance of the virtual teams can improve by applying Deming's PDSA Cycle model. For evaluating that qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. Face-to-face teams and virtual teams share the same purpose of working together. However, their means of communication and the “space” among them define their differences. Virtual teams face the challenges that involve the emotional and physical attributes correlating to its performance. Emotional aspects deal with the behaviors in leadership styles and team members with regards to working relationships, trust and communication. Virtual teams adopting new technologies may experience implementation issues, technical difficulties, training concerns, or unexpected problems once the new technology is installed. Physical barriers may encompass the time differences, distance in space, cultures, technology media and meeting effectiveness. Chi square was applied and the findings proved that to handle virtual teams is a difficult tasks and for managing tehm effectively and efficiently the managers of those teams must employ PDSA model.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

ABSTRACTIV

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Background of the Research1

Statement of the Problem2

Hypothesis4

Purpose of the Study5

Research Questions7

Theoretical Basis for the Study7

Limitations of the Study8

Definition of Terms8

CHAPTER 2: LITERAURE REVIEW11

Virtual vs. Face-to-Face Teams11

Virtual Team Challenges13

Emotional Challenges of Virtual Teams13

Leadership Behaviors14

Team Member Behaviors17

Physical Challenges of Virtual Teams18

Time Difference, Space and Distance18

Technology Communication20

“How” it gets done vs. “What” gets done22

Beyond PDCA - The Evolution of PDSA24

Applying PDSA to Virtual Team Performance32

Plan33

Team Development34

Mission, Goals and Ground Rules36

Do38

Building Relationships, Trust and Rewarding Experiences39

Evaluating Team Performance39

Establishing Effective Meetings40

Study41

Managing Cultural Differences and Conflict42

Evaluating Team Effectiveness42

Act43

Quality Tools Used to Support the PDSA Process44

PDSA Model with Input, Process, Outcome and Execution45

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY48

Design of the Investigation48

Population and Sample50

Treatment51

Reliability54

Data Analysis Procedures54

Phase 1 - Analyzing55

Qualitative Analysis56

Quantitative Analysis.56

CHAPTER 4: ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION57

Analysis of Interview Responses57

Chi square78

Discussion78

Leadership styles and behaviors influence VT83

Technology and virtual team performance85

Communication and work processes and virtual team's performance86

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS88

Recommendations90

REFERENCES91

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Research

As soon as technologies, such as the World Wide Web (Internet), became available for the public and businesses in 1990, it quickly grew to offer the possibility of using advanced technology to increase new ways of communicating. The flexibility of advanced technology allows organizations to globally share information, expands knowledge and skills externally and utilizes the high demand for the use of virtual teams (Filep, 2009). With the increase in global companies and large project-related activities, the norm of using a traditional team has expanded to virtual horizons. In retrospect, individuals no longer work together in traditional or physical teams, but rather collaborate to meet business objectives (Chin & Pietkiewicz, 2008).

Virtual teams are primarily comprised of individuals working together ...