Emergent Leadership in Self-Managed Virtual Teams

The issue of leadership in virtual teams is an increasingly important one for many modern organizations, because these teams – typically project-based with a finite lifespan and specific deliverables – are frequently self-managed, having no designated leader within the team (Yukl 1998). While such teams may have increased flexibility in setting goals and achieving them, the virtual context may hinder team members' abilities to coordinate activities and influence others (Manz and Sims 1993). Longitudinal data were collected over the course of a semester from virtual teams, comprised of students from three North American universities. Our results suggest that high performing self-managed virtual teams displayed significantly more leadership behaviors over time compared to their low performing counterparts. Specifically, these teams displayed significantly more concentrated leadership behavior focused on performance (i.e. “Producer” behavior) and shared leadership behavior focused on keeping track of group work (i.e. “Monitor” behavior) than the lower performing teams. Interestingly, these behaviors emerged strongly during the first half of the groups' lifespan, and stayed throughout the life of the groups, but steadily dissipated in strength over time.     

国外虚拟团队的信任问题研究动态

随着全球化、信息化和电子商务的发展,出现了虚拟团队这一新兴的组织形式。本文回顾了国际上对虚拟团队信任问题的提出、作用、影响因素及实证的研究并进行了综述。     

An Experimental Investigation of Virtual Negotiations with Dynamic Plots

Advanced information and communications technologies provide the basis for virtual negotiations where competitors continuously alter their assignments in real-time in response to market changes. Dynamic plots, which depict the competitors' possible profits and hints for how to improve them, provide a way to support these types of negotiation settings. This research reports on an experimental assessment of dynamic plots for visual interactive negotiations. Dynamic plots are compared to an alternative dynamic method of real-time negotiation support using selected conflict situations to test five hypotheses. The results of the laboratory assessment provide evidence for the hypotheses that dynamic plots stimulate negotiations, provide effective support to reach efficient, system optimal, and equitable solutions, and are well received as negotiation tools in real-time settings.     

Using International Virtual Teams in the Business Classroom

Abstract

Given the growing use of virtual interaction in international business activities, business schools must provide students with experiential learning opportunities that prepare them to work in virtual organizations. This paper uses multiple case study methodology with analysis at the transaction level to analyze the dynamics of the virtual teams, and to compare international and domestic virtual team behavior. The paper also identifies the challenges of implementing international virtual teams for teaching international business and provides practical advice for faculty.     

香港服务贸易的演进

根据香港服务贸易演进的情况,香港服务贸易可划分为三个不同阶段,分别为自然型服务贸易阶段,知识型服务贸易阶段以及战略型服务贸易阶段.对三个阶段香港服务贸易各服务组别进行定量与定性分析,总结出香港服务贸易发展各阶段发展特点、模式及其成功经验.     

Adaptiveness in Virtual Teams: Organisational Challenges and Research Directions

Computer supported teams are capturing the attention of academics and practitioners as organisations increasingly put them into practice as virtual teams. The practical relevance of current research into computer supported teams could be increased if greater attention is paid to organisational challenges as they form the context within which virtual teamwork takes place. A model of organisational challenges mapped against processes of adaptation is developed to highlight principle factors affecting virtual teams. A sample of current research groups studying computer-supported teams is plotted onto this map to reveal the extent to which current research addresses these contextual factors. From this map insights are distilled with respect to what is known and is not known about virtual teams. This paper concludes with specific research needs in the study of virtual teams.     

The Effects of Cultural Diversity in Virtual Teams Versus Face-to-Face Teams

Diversity in the national background and culture of team members is common in virtual teams. An experimental study, with short term teams, was undertaken to examine the effect of cultural diversity on team effectiveness and to examine if this effect changes depending if the team worked face-to-face (F2F) or virtually. Heterogeneous teams were created that had greater diversity than homogeneous teams of individualism/collectivism values, different languages spoken, country of birth, and nationality. The teams worked on a desert survival task either F2F or virtually (via audioconference and electronic chat tools). The overall results indicated that heterogeneous teams were less satisfied and cohesive and had more conflict than the homogeneous teams, although there were no statistical differences in team performance levels. However, examining just the heterogeneous teams found that the performance of the virtual heterogeneous teams was superior to that of the F2F heterogeneous teams. The results support Carte and Chidambaram's (2004) theory that the reductive capabilities of collaborative technologies are beneficial for newly-formed diverse teams.     

When Success Isn’t Everything – Case Studies of Two Virtual Teams

Researchers have been attempting to identify the factors that contribute to virtual team success. Two virtual teams were studied over six-months using an interpretive approach and qualitative data collection techniques. The outcomes of these teams were outwardly very poor. Yet, team members considered themselves successful in relation to the circumstances in which they found themselves. The team members identified the factors they believed contributed to the outcomes and the rationale for why they were successful despite the outward appearances. The interpretive approach allowed for an exploration of the circumstances, and how these perspectives were derived. The cases indicate that working in distributed mode can be problematic if teamwork issues are not addressed, and a technological focus adopted.     

市场营销过程的虚拟化管理

认识虚拟资源的重要性和充分利用虚拟资源是管理上的创新。现代市场营销过程的虚拟化特色促使管理方式发生变革，虚拟化方法走向现实的舞台。市场营销的虚拟化管理集中体现在产品生产、品牌化进程、分销过程等三个主要方面。虚拟化管理方式的应用是一种创新，一种战略思路上的革命。     

Managerial Role Motivation and Role-related Ethical Orientation in Hong Kong

Journal of Business Ethics - Is there a relationship between the psychological construct of hierarchic managerial role motivation and the moral construct of role-related ethical orientation? In...     

香港在泛珠三角旅游合作中的角色

在泛珠三角旅游合作中,香港以其雄厚的经济实力、旅游业实力和明显的旅游业优势而占有独特的地位.香港不仅可以成为内地旅游业发展的窗口,而且可以成为联接内地与海外旅游业的桥梁,甚至还可以成为内地旅游部门借鉴当今国际旅游业先进经验的一个重要渠道.泛珠各省区应善用香港的旅游资源和优势,推动内地旅游业有新的发展.     

香港服务业及服务贸易发展评析

在金融危机前,香港是一个以服务业为主的较单一的经济体系。服务业和服务贸易推动了香港经济的发展,香港成为全球重要的服务中心。但是过度强调发展服务业造成了香港产业的空洞化,使其经济极易受到外部的冲击和影响。香港在金融危机后陷入了持久的经济衰退和通货紧缩。现在香港正处于经济转型期,通过加大和内地的合作,调整了经济发展政策,香港经济正逐渐走出困境。     

香港与西部地区的产业比较和合作分析

香港是全球第三大金融市场、第七大贸易经济体系、第九大服务输出地。香港拥有大量的金融、保险高级管理人才和制造业企业管理人才；国际营销网络高度发达?而我国西部地区基本处于世界中低收入水平，总体经济极为落后。香港的现代化大都会与西部地区的落后经济形成了鲜明的反差。差距就是潜力，潜力是合作发展的动力，香港与西部经济上的互补性表明两地具有极大的合作空间，其合作的前景非常远大。     

繁荣还是衰落—香港物流前景分析

香港经济一直在寻求转型的方向,随着内地贸易开放程度加深和香港产业结构变化,作为支柱产业的物流,其发展前景也倍受关注.当前,影响香港物流发展的外部因素是周边地区迅速发展,货源竞争日趋激烈.从内部深层次原因看,导致香港物流业萎缩的症结是香港制造业外移,境内物流环节减少.应充分利用香港海港和空港的基础设施,利用自身高效率优势,提供高质量、多功能、差异化的港口服务,承接内地企业对高端港口物流的需求,为香港物流业的持续发展奠定基础.     

香港劳动市场供给变动及影响因素分析

根据1961-2000年香港劳动人口变动的数据,分析人口规模、人口构成以及劳动参与率对香港劳动市场变动的影响。从劳动供给一方,讨论香港劳动市场的主要特征。     

深圳与香港物流业竞争力分析

随着深圳物流业的崛起,深圳与香港物流业竞争力的比较越来越受到业界的关注。通过在生产要素成本、组织成本和要素质量三个方面对深圳和香港物流业的竞争力的实证分析,表明深圳的要素成本比香港有明显的优势,但是深圳的制度成本比香港要高。在生产要素质量方面,深圳与香港的“硬要素”差距不大,“软要素”差距比较大。深圳中低端物流业务的竞争力正在接近甚至超越香港,将促使原本在香港境内的此类业务向深圳、珠江三角洲等地区转移。     

Global Marketing Channels and the Standardization Controversy

Abstract

Since the early 1960s, standardization has often been viewed as an efficient strategy for global marketers while others have argued for the relative merits of adaptation. A review of the literature reveals two important points: first, relative to other areas of marketing, channels of distribution are given short shrift in the standardization versus adaptation debate; second, of the existing literature on the standardization of global marketing channels, academicians and practitioners generally concur that marketing channels cannot be standardized. This conclusion may be premature. Thus, this paper offers a conceptual framework for the possible standardization of global marketing channels. A schematic model of the domestic marketing channel development process is extended to the global arena and a framework for the evaluation of the standardization alternatives in the international marketing channels development context is presented.     

Virtual Teams and Multiple Media: Structuring Media Use to Attain Strategic Goals

Work environments have grown substantially more complex over the years. Teams are increasingly distributed, and presented with a variety of different communication technologies, e.g., e-mail, instant messaging, cellular phones, pagers, and intranet applications, for use in distributed collaborative activities. Further, individuals often belong to multiple teams concurrently. This study explores how virtual team members structure their use of multiple media to attain strategic goals in complex work environments. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze data gathered from forty interviews of information technology workers. Our results indicate that there are two primary structures individuals employ when making use of multiple media: sequential and concurrent. Sequential combinations are of three types: redundant, serial, or complementary, while concurrent combinations are of two types: independent or complementary. Further, individuals strategically use multiple media to accomplish specific communication goals beyond simply transmitting the message, such as message acknowledgement, enhancement of mutual understanding, and participation in multiple communication interactions. The implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.Both authors contributed equally to this paper.     

Crossing Cultural Boundaries: A Multicultural Kindergarten in Hong Kong

Confronted with the rise of a new group within its organization, Small World, an international Christian kindergarten in Hong Kong, is being forced to reconsider its boundaries. The trend towards more applications to international schools by Hong Kong Chinese, adds an extra dimension to the already extensive cultural diversity among the kindergarten's staff, students and their parents. Describing the appreciation for cultural diversity amongst staff and parents, the strategies that are used to maintain harmony and the motives that (Hong Kong Chinese) parents have for participation in the school, it is argued that only one effect of globalization on the macro level can be identified on the micro and meso level, namely indigenization. The article shows how parents, staff and the organization all try to adopt attractive or useful elements of foreign cultures without giving up their own culture, and subsequently foster multiculturalism in an attempt to reach their goals, these being the cultural competence of their children for Hong Kong Chinese parents and success for the organization. The resulting demand for the incorporation of extra foreign elements in the curriculum is forcing Small World to reconsider its boundaries.