The IUP Journal of Management Research
Virtual Teams: Team Empowerment, Process Improvement, Team Member Satisfaction and Customer Satisfaction

Article Details
Pub. Date : July, 2020
Product Name : The IUP Journal of Management Research
Product Type : Article
Product Code : IJMR072020
Author Name : Basak M Berberoglugil
Availability : YES
Subject/Domain : Arts & Humanities
Download Format : PDF Format
No. of Pages : 39

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Abstract

Teams are of great significance in the contemporary business world. Almost all operating teams make use of one or more intermediary technologies in coordination process to reach their objectives, irrespective of whether they are composed of members that are strategically located near or miles apart. Today, no team could be tagged non-virtual because technology mediation is a vital requirement for dynamic and competitive teams to respond quickly to the market and be successful in changing situations. The importance of the subject is further made apparent given the fact that all teams are more or less virtual. The aim of this study is to determine the interactions among team empowerment, process improvement, employee (team member) satisfaction and customer satisfaction in virtual teams. According to the findings of this study, virtual teams are generally continuous, virtual team members perceive themselves as empowered and they experience all four dimensions of team empowerment successfully. Also, the findings indicate that virtual team members can successfully reflect and adapt, hence improve processes proactively without management’s initiation. Team members’ satisfaction and customer satisfaction values also demonstrate that virtual teams will be used more often by companies in the future without any hesitation.


Introduction

There are many macro factors that necessitate important changes in traditional work teams. Some of these macro factors are about the environment in which organizations function such as increasing globalization of trade and corporate activity and emergence of environments that require inter-organizational cooperation as well as competition. Some of these macro factors are about the organization’s nature such as increasing prevalence of horizontal organizational structures and continued shift from production to service/knowledge work environments. Other critical macro factors are about the shift in workers’ expectations such as increasing claim of organizational participation and tendencies towards flexible work conditions. Also, increased consciousness of environmental protection is another example of


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