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Virtuality in organizational team environments: Concept, measurement, and effects in the context of sustainable management

  • Chapter
Exploring Virtuality Within and beyond Organizations

Part of the book series: Technology, Work and Globalization ((TWG))

Abstract

The phenomenon of “virtuality” is well known in our occupational and private life, but remains rather unexplored. It is arguable what it comprises, what sort of effects it has at different levels and how one should deal with the new complexities associated with it. It is also an issue for organizational research investigating forms of virtual collaboration and work organization such as virtual teams (VTs). This chapter provides a quantifiable approach to virtuality in organizational team environments. It follows the interest in virtuality and its relation to dimensions of context, attitude, management, and team performance at the economic, social, and psychological level. The notion of VTs and a classification scheme as part of a broader framework are presented to distinguish different types and degrees of virtuality (DoV) in team environments. In addition, the chapter includes the methodology, the research framework, and design, as well as results of the quantitative and qualitative empirical phases. By integrating sociological/organizational views, relations between virtual, economical, social, psychological, contextual, and managerial forces in the VT environment are investigated. Several conclusions are highlighted in regard to theory and practical implications for the managerial level striving to combine strategic aims of sustainable social and psychological performance and operational daily business in VTs.

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Authors
  1. C. Schmidt
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  2. B. K. Temple
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  3. A. McCready
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  4. J. Newman
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  5. S. C. Kinzler
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© 2008 C. Schmidt, B.K. Temple, A. McCready, J. Newman, and S.C. Kinzler

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Schmidt, C., Temple, B.K., McCready, A., Newman, J., Kinzler, S.C. (2008). Virtuality in organizational team environments: Concept, measurement, and effects in the context of sustainable management. In: Exploring Virtuality Within and beyond Organizations. Technology, Work and Globalization. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230593978_5

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