Virtual Teams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Virtual Teams - Essay Example In this regard, the current discourse aims to discuss how the dilemmas of teamwork might be intensified in a virtual team. Likewise, as one is considered a part of a virtual team, the essay also aims to address the dilemmas that apparently exist when class assignments need to be complied with. Dilemmas of Teamwork in Virtual Teams A group or team is normally composed of members with diverse demographic, geographic, cultural, educational, and socio-economic backgrounds, and interact with each other for a specified time frame. These members utilize specifically essential resources and methodologies to achieve explicitly defined goals. The traditional dilemmas of teamwork are: (1) propensities for conflicts due to differences in opinions; (2) miscommunication due to cultural and language barriers; (3) delegation and performance according to roles and responsibilities; and (4) resolving conflicts and managing overall performance. In the Management Study Guide, a comprehensive analysis of virtual teams is presented in terms of defining their advantages and disadvantages; as well as in comparing them with traditional teams (Advantages and Disadvantages of Virtual Teams, 2013; Cascio, 2000). From the information, it was disclosed that the very nature of virtual teams according to levels (individual, organizational, as well as societal) actually contribute to conflicts due to differences in opinions, as well as the roles and responsibilities they play in the organization. In addition, since organizations support diversity and recruit employees from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, there are more tendencies for virtual teams to encounter miscommunication due to language barriers. Likewise, virtual teams operate through a team leader, whose tasks were delegated by the assigned manager or supervisor. Further assigning responsibilities to team members, without comprehensive knowledge of their respective backgrounds and capabilites contributed to intensified chall enges. Finally, in virtual teams, the distance and varied time frames, make confict resolutions difficult. Managing the overall cohesiveness and performance of virtual team members are more difficult, as a result. . Concurrently, the disparity in geographic, cultural, socio-economic, and educational backgrounds of the members of virtual teams exacerbate potential challenges in terms of sustaining effective communication due to language barriers, distractions, disparities in time zones, and expertise or competencies on accomplishing the identified tasks. This dilemma could be intensified in the virtual team setting since the opportunity to accord immediate feedback and to resolve the dilemma through face-to-face interaction is not effectively provided due to the absence of authoritative leaders or managers who are instrumental in governance and effective management of a team. What dilemmas do you feel when you have to do class assignments as part of a team? In terms of class assignme nts that must be done as part of a team, in a virtual team setting, the dilemmas that are encountered are as follows: (1) insufficient time to get acquainted with each other during the group

Evaluation Of IT Architectural Consideration Term Paper

Evaluation Of IT Architectural Consideration - Term Paper Example With this solution, client or customers will be using a voice over internet protocol to communicate with service providers from the company, who would in turn dispatch emergency service to the clients. This will replace the use of plain old telephone system (POTS) as a medical alert system. IT Architectural Considerations By consideration of the business orientation of GER UMUC and the proposed Salesforce Platform, the customer relationship management is selected as the most useful enterprise solution for the company. According to O’Brien and Marakas (2011), customer relationship management (CRM) involves the use of technology to manage a company’s present and future clients or customers. In effect, CRM requires that the company undertakes specific interactions with its existing and potential clients to ensure that they receive the best of service and sale products. Given the fact that the business orientation of GER UMUC puts them as manufacturers of emergency response products, the use of customer relationship management will ensure that the company’s clients who are often in need of solutions to end emergency situations will receive user-centered and customized attention from the company. The Salesforce Platform will also ensure that customers are offered prompt interaction avenues. IT characteristics Accessibility Because GER UMUC belongs to a specific industry, which identifies itself with emergency response, it is important that the manufacturing and service provision lines of the company become directed towards clients who require and give emergency services. It is for this reason that the characteristic of accessibility must be incorporated into the Salesforce Platform to ensure that access to the system is limited to specific users who require urgent emergency products and services. Indeed the advantage that such need for accessibility will create is that it will relieve the system of unnecessary pressure from people who do not req uire its usage (Avison, 2007). Availability Disasters and events that bring about emergency situations, requiring the attention and service of GER UMUC have been said to be highly unpredictable (Bodker, 2006). This means that the Salesforce Platform must be make available on a 24/7 basis. Once this is done, efficiency with the system can be guaranteed and enhanced because it will be possible to provide sufficient service within defined time frame, a principle that O’Brien and Marakas (2011) note are necessary for effective management of information systems. Reliability Several studies have been undertaken to compare the functional reliability of the plain old telephone system (POTS) to the voice over internet protocol (VoIP) in terms of provision of quality communication service. In this, it has been noted that whereas the POTS is fast becoming an outmoded technology, VoIP is fast taking its place. To this end, developers have given much attention to the advancement of VoIP t o ensure that it provides tailored and advanced service (Bertelsen, 2000). The proposed technology solution is therefore expected to be one that will function accurately and provide correct information. Usability It will be noted that it is not all members of staff of GER UMUC who have background in information and communication technology specializations. Meanwhile, for the system to be