Integrated framework for virtual team management

Abstract

Virtual teams are increasingly engaged in globalized business environments. Virtual teams work across space, time and organizational boundaries with links ensured by information and communication technologies. Communication, collaboration, and knowledge exchange are the most important in virtual teams' operations and their efficiency directly influences teams' performance. In this paper benefits and challenges of virtual teams are described, and description of software tools used by virtual teams is given. Previous efforts to provide efficient communication, collaboration, and management tools and frameworks for virtual teams are summarized. Some promising research directions are indicated. Finally, integrated framework for virtual team management is proposed.