Advantages and Disadvantages of Virtual Teams and Impact of Positive Emotions on Team Effectiveness

Running head: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Human Resource Management
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1HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Answer to question 1:
Advantages of virtual teams:
The virtual team has great potential despite the possible challenges and several
considerations. Formulation of appropriate processes and actions by Wilson Bros would help
in utilizing the potential of such teams.
 One of the major concerns of company is cost of transportation and this poses a
significant threat to profits of company on daily basis. This can be handled by way of
strategically managing the human resource that can be a contributory factor in
maintaining the level of profits. The cost and travel time can be reduced drastically if
the organization forms virtual team. Individual member of company would be able to
contribute from dispersed locations as the virtual channels are used as mode of
communication without unnecessary travelling for face to face meetings (Reiche et
al., 2016).
 The limitations of virtual team are limited by the geographical constraints when it
comes to acquisition of resource virtual team and specialized workforce. The potential
for effectively leveraging diffused skills and knowledge leading to collaborative
innovation is provided by virtual team. Forming virtual team would enable company
to take advantage of pool of global talent available and is regarded as one of the most
effective tools of management (Stone et al., 2015). Therefore, it can be proposed that
geographical boundaries do not limit the findings of suitable professionals with
increased superior problem solving skills.
 Virtual team comes with greater degree of flexibility as team members can work
simultaneously in multiple teams as for the team membership, the geographical
location no longer remains a criteria. Such team also has potential for generation of

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social capital in terms of their unique contact networks that is brought into availability
of team (Pinder, 2014).
Disadvantages of virtual teams:
 One of the key challenges that are faced by virtual team is that different team
members would be working in time zones. There can be difficulty in creating
seamless communication due to members working in different time zones and due to
short time contact window has the consequence of delaying in scheduling and
different tasks.
 There exists possibility that contact window might become almost nonexistent due to
working from different parts of world as for communication, there will be overlapping
of time window. It leads to creation of creation of frustration and personal conflicts
among team members because of possible delays and working time discordances
(Klotz & Neubaum, 2016). Therefore, a considerable amount of risk is posed due to
misinterpretation and communication failures.
For making a successful virtual team, it is considered essential for both members and
leaders to acknowledge the issues and challenges faced by such teams and paying
considerable amount of attention to appropriate scheduling, communication and use of
technology. There should be employment of process of effective knowledge sharing by
Wilson Bros for better performance of virtual teams. Deep sharing of knowledge is supported
by use of technology in virtual teams and the level of effectiveness, communication,
relationship, efficiency and commitment of team is significantly impacted by wider use of
media and different channels (Armstrong & Taylor, 2014).