A Case Study
of Project
Management
Practices
in Virtual Settings:
Lessons
from Working
in and Managing
Virtual Teams
Catherine Beise
Perdue
... [Show More] School of Business
Salisbury University
Traci Carte
Michael F. Price College of Business
University of Oklahoma
Chelley Vician
Opus College of Business
University of St. Thomas
Laku Chidambaram
Michael F. Price College of Business
University of Oklahoma
Abstract
In this paper we report a case study examining the
communication processes engaged in by virtual
project teams and their management. Twenty-two
teams, using widely available groupware to
communicate, work together, share documents,
discuss ideas, and solve problems, designed and
implemented a database. These teams were
managed by a geographically-distributed
management team. The case study is analyzed
qualitatively and quantitatively, from two
perspectives—working in, and managing, virtual
teams—using a framework that integrates virtual
team dynamics and project management practices.
Through the critical examination of communication
content from the longitudinal experiences of multiple
virtual project teams and their virtual management
team, we identify successful project practices and
uncover underlying interaction processes.
Specifically, we found that high performing project
teams differed from low performing teams in terms of
process management, relational development, and
proactive technology use behaviors. The five-person
management team paralleled the project teams in
evolving its own process management and relational
development over time.
Keywords: Virtual teams, database development,
project management, computer-mediated
communication, groupware, collaboration tools
ACM Classification: K6.1, D2.9
Introduction
Increasingly, many organizations are relying on
virtual teams—with geographically dispersed
members communicating and collaborating
electronically—to execute projects ranging from
designing software to servicing customers
(Boudreau, Loch, Robey & Straub, 1998; Jackson,
1999). These virtual teams face a variety of
challenges due to their members’ separation in time
and space (Boutellier, Gassmann, Macho & Roux,
1998; Sarker & Sahay, 2002). Such challenges
include the slow development of trust and the
difficulty in understanding idioms and humor (Knoll &
Jarvenpaa, 1995; Jarvenpaa & Leidner, 1998).
Working primarily, or exclusively as in this study, in
computer-mediated settings also delays relational
development (Powell et al., 2004).
Another important organizational trend is the growth
of structured project management (PM) practices,
which have spread worldwide. Such practices have [Show Less]