Anything that cuts across boundaries is "virtual" - when the boundaries are organizational then we are dealing with virtual teams. Today, most organizations - irrespective of their size - are virtual i.e. they cannot execute their strategy without help from persons or entities outside their organization's boundaries. Outsourcing is but one form of a virtual team.
The benefits of virtual teams are clear - force multiplication, capability enhancement...- and so are the challenges - breakdown in communication, lack of control...So, how does one manage these challenges?
This presentation describes a "virtuality" index to measure the degree that a team is virtual. One can use this "virtuality" index to
- Identify problematic areas and devise solutions to fix those problems
- Identify and manage the impact of virtual teams on performance
It provides a case study in the use of "virtuality" index at Intel.
Good Read!
