Virtual Marketing Team Report: Analysis for Company ABC (MNG81001)

This report addresses the strategic decision of Company ABC's Marketing Director regarding the establishment of a new virtual marketing team versus maintaining the existing face-to-face team. The analysis explores the dynamics of virtual teams, including cross-functional collaboration, communication challenges, and the importance of trust and technological proficiency. The report considers arguments for and against the implementation of a virtual team, referencing key research on virtual team effectiveness. It evaluates the potential benefits such as enhanced competitiveness and the challenges of digital communication and network connectivity. The conclusion provides recommendations to the Marketing Director, emphasizing the need for effective communication strategies, technological competence, and fostering trust to ensure the success of a virtual marketing team. The report uses a structured format with an introduction, arguments for and against, rebuttal, and conclusion, supporting the analysis with relevant academic references.

MANAGEMENT
COMMUNICATION

Introduction
• The existence of virtual teams is growing
• The marketing director should go with virtual
teams

For the position (1)
• Cross-functional team dynamics is a concern
• Managers having leadership skills should understand the challenges of tackling cross-
functional team dynamics
• An understanding with the system is also required
(Serrat 2017)

For the position (2)
• Connection in creative virtual teams is very important
• It is generally lost due to irregular network connectivity
• Each one of the team members should have adequate
understanding of the technology
(Nemiro 2016)

Against the position
• Communication over digital media can be challenging (Krumm et
al. 2016)
• Trust between the team members is essential to give some
meaning to virtual teams (Ford Piccolo and Ford 2017)

Rebuttal
• Comfort with technology can help to fight against the challenges of virtual
teams
• A trusted and effective communication over a network can be created
(Serban et al. 2015)

Conclusion
• Virtual teams are fruitful to larger organisations
• It supports and help to stand against the fierce competition and to be able to counter it

References
• Ford, R.C., Piccolo, R.F. and Ford, L.R., 2017. Strategies for building effective virtual
teams: Trust is key. Business Horizons, 60(1), pp.25-34.
• Krumm, S., Kanthak, J., Hartmann, K. and Hertel, G., 2016. What does it take to be a
virtual team player? The knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics
required in virtual teams. Human Performance, 29(2), pp.123-142.
• Nemiro, J.E., 2016. Connection in creative virtual teams. Journal of Behavioral and
Applied Management, 2(2), p.814.
• Serban, A., Yammarino, F.J., Dionne, S.D., Kahai, S.S., Hao, C., McHugh, K.A., Sotak,
K.L., Mushore, A.B., Friedrich, T.L. and Peterson, D.R., 2015. Leadership emergence in
face-to-face and virtual teams: A multi-level model with agent-based simulations,
quasi-experimental and experimental tests. The Leadership Quarterly, 26(3),
pp.402-418.
• Serrat, O., 2017. Managing virtual teams. In Knowledge Solutions (pp. 619-625).
Springer, Singapore.