IT project management and virtual teams

Project management methods and tools are increasingly relevant as today's globalized organizations accomplish more of their goals using cross-functional, and often cross-cultural, geographically dispersed, project teams. The increased diversity of skills, knowledge, cultures, and perspectives of these project teams can potentially have both positive and negative influences on group processes and outcomes. The question that this research-in-progress intends to address is: To what extent can and do project management methods and tools benefit diverse virtual teams while mitigating its challenges? In order to begin to answer this question, this paper presents relevant background, a research model, a methodology (currently in progress), and potential contributions. The initial methodology involves a study of IT project teams working on a common database design project whose members are using electronic tools to communicate, collaborate, and coordinate. The results of the study should provide useful information to practitioners and researchers regarding project management and virtual teams.

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