Background
The characteristics of teams have changed in different aspects relative to various organizational changes and the tasks assigned to different teams. As organizations expand across different geographical and industrial dimensions, the interactions and relationships between these organizations and their perceived customers, suppliers and other critical stakeholders determine organizational growth through collaborative work.
Additionally, through knowledge management, different organizations have realized the need to ensure that the expertise and experience held by individual members are distributed across the whole organization (Kimball, 1997, p. 1). As a result, various organizational changes dictate the way teams are formed and operated. Furthermore, technology has enhanced the formation of efficient teams, which operate at multiple management levels and modes.
For instance, virtual teams entail a group of co-workers who are geographically and organizationally interlinked through telecommunication tools and information technology systems. Here, teams located in different geographical areas in the world accomplish various organizational tasks through cooperation and collaborative means (Kimball, 1997).
In this essay, we will review the case study, ‘Virtually there?’ with the aim of describing why the current case is a good example of a virtual team. Subsequently, the essay presents the advantages of the virtual team described in the current case. Furthermore, suggestions regarding the management of the virtual team in the current case are also provided in this essay.
The case presented by Pearlson and Saunders is a good example of a virtual team because it describes a scenario whereby doctors located in different geographical areas can interact with their cancer patients through providing them with relevant information in real-time. Additionally, doctors within the same organization or between different organizations can collaborate to handle the same case concurrently.
Furthermore, the project described in the case entails harnessing useful information held by individual doctors in an organization and making it available to the whole organization (Pearlson & Saunders, 2006). As a result, there is evidence of a group of coworkers who are interlinked organizationally and geographically in order to accomplish various organizational duties.
Advantages of the virtual team in the case study
In view of the foregoing discussions, it is obvious that the proposed project by Dr. Laura Esserman aims at facilitating the interaction between doctors and cancer patients in a virtual world.
Here, the proponents argue that the use of virtual teams and tools will not only save cancer patients the agony of passively listening to impenetrable treatment options and suggestions from doctors, but it will also allow patients to gain access to a range of information regarding the treatment, success-rate, and diagnosis of their health complications.
Furthermore, the patients are given the opportunity to meet with different doctors within and outside the hospital to explore different perspectives and options regarding their health status (Pearlson & Saunders, 2006).
Additionally, Dr. Esserman notes that the virtual team involved in handling cancer patients will manage to bring to the table a range of useful information and treatment options, which can guarantee positive patient outcomes as opposed to cases where individual doctors are involved in deciding the treatment options for their patients.
Furthermore, the presence of virtual teams in the treatment of cancer allows the patients to engage doctors in a discussion that will lead to the patients voicing their concerns over certain treatment options (Pearlson & Saunders, 2006). As a result, the patients and doctors can reach a compromise relative to the treatment options, which are acceptable to the greatest number of patients and doctors.
Suggestions regarding the management of the virtual team
Despite that the virtual team offers several advantages regarding the process of enhancing the interaction between doctors and their patients, it can face several challenges particularly due to diverse time zones, security issues, diverse team players, and communication issues.
As a result, there is the need for team managers to address these issues, which can hinder the process of implementing and managing the proposed goals and objectives for the team. Here, there is the need for managers to initiate frequent communication between team members through appropriate technological systems such as interactive groupware (Kimball, 1997).
Furthermore, team managers should ensure that team members gain access to similar information technology systems at their respective places. Additionally, the members should be adequately trained on how to use different technological systems in order to allow for efficient and timely communication. Lastly, there is the paramount need for managers to promote culturally sensitive technological systems for different team members because various cultural and ethnic groups perceive time and task in different ways.
Conclusions
The essay reviews the case study, ‘Virtually there?’ relative to why the case reflects a virtual team and the advantages of the virtual team described in the case. Additionally, the essay offers suggestions concerning the management of the virtual team. From the discussions above, it is notable that virtual teams present several advantages in terms of accomplishing and improving different organizational tasks.
However, these teams face different challenges regarding communication issues, team diversity, and technological challenges. Therefore, management of virtual teams entails an in-depth understanding and management of various issues concerning team formation, telecommunication tools, and team diversity.
Reference List
Kimball, L. (1997). Managing virtual teams. Toronto, Canada: Federated Press. Web.
Pearlson, K. & Saunders, C. (2006). Managing and using information systems: A strategic approach, 3rd ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.