Virtual Teams

Virtual teams are groups of interdependent coworkers who are geographically dispersed and depend on information technology to accomplish common team objectives. Because they are assembled with an explicit goal—the development of a product or the resolution of a problem—they are often classified as project teams. Whereas the challenges virtual teams face are well documented, their popularity in industry suggests that they benefit organizations. For example, in 2012, the Project Management Institute reported that the number of projects run by virtual teams sat at 80%; this number has likely increased since. Industry surveys further reveal that the top two reasons organizations adopt virtual teams are (1) increased productivity and (2) greater efficiencies and cost savings.

This entry discusses the virtual team experience through the prism of paradox ...