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A powerful requirement for businesses to effectively compete in todays global market place is the ability for collaboration between business units, work teams and individuals. The value of collaboration is its potential to contribute toward increasing productivity, reducing costs, growing profit and improve service or product quality (Alan, M. , 1994). Technology that has been designed to support collaborative group work is referred to as groupware. This impacts on the way people communicate with each other, the way people work and even the structure of an organization.
Groupware are technology based tools that facilitate groups of geographically dispersed people to share knowledge and information using computer based resources (Dennis et al. , 1996). These tools allow humans to collaborate on projects where members may contribute directly or anonymously (Nunamaker et al. , 1991). Groupware includes the ability to send and receive data, emails, share personal calendars, hold video conferencing and workflow management (Kilmer, 1999). Kilmer, (1999) states that popular products that fit into this category include Lotus Notes, email, intranet, internet, electronic conferencing and other collaborative tools. Groupware allows for new organizational design and practices. It provides new potential for how work groups or teams can enhance their coordination when performing activities and assigned tasks.
Groupware technology addresses the need for collaboration, human to human interaction and builds on the latest advances in information technology. The rapid development of groupware technology means the term is not clearly defined (Lloyd, P. 1994), essentially the term refers to any computer based technology that helps a group work better collaboratively over digital media (Lloyd, P. 1994). According to Ellis et al. , (1991) groupware falls into many categories from simple to complex systems. Ellis et al. , (1991), distinguish two main categories when viewing groupware; time space and application level categories. Time space groupware are those tools conceived to enhance communication and collaboration within a real time interaction. The scenarios which encompass this include same time / same place, same time / different place, different time / same place and different time / different place (Ellis et al. , 1991).
Groupware which are classified as same time / same place consist mostly of project management tools to plan and direct team member input. Same time / different place applications help team members who are all present but may be dispersed which include shared document applications and video or telephone conferencing. Groupware classified as different time / same place facilitates members who may only be available during certain time periods, yet are in the same relative location. Applications which assist in this include document management and group calendaring applications. Finally different time / different place explains the process of information exchange where group members are present at different times and are situated in different places, for example members who are geographically dispersed and subsequently operate in different time zones. Applications that facilitate this typically include email, voice mail and bulletin boards (Ellis et al. , 1991).
Groupware which do not fit into any of the simple to complex scenarios mentioned in the previous paragraph fall under the application level category. These tools focus more on application level functionality and tend to be less comprehensive than the previously discussed tools. This category of groupware according to Ellis et al. , (1991) is intended to give a general idea of the breadth of the groupware domain. Ellis et al. , (1991) identify six categories of application level tools which include; message systems, multiple user editors, group decision support systems, computer conferencing, intelligent agents and coordination systems (Ellis et al. , 1991). Teams have become important in organizations because, increasingly, data shows that productivity, quality, and morale improves when teams are utilized.
There are many reasons for these positive outcomes but the Maier (1967) study provides a classic listing of benefits. Among the benefits are that teams produce a greater quantity of ideas and information than individuals acting alone. Teams improve understanding and acceptance among individuals involved in the process. Teams create higher motivation and performance levels than individuals acting alone. Teams offset personal biases and blind spots that hinder the decision process. Teams sponsor more innovative and risk-taking decision making (Maier, 1967).
The popularity of implementing groupware has increased in recent years as companies use the technology to gain competitive advantage. The popularity stemmed from the benefits of improving communication through tools like email and facilitated in the handling of certain activities such as file sharing and project management. One of the major benefits of groupware is its ability to provide better coordination among personnel. Examples of better coordination included the use of electronic calendars to schedule human activity and the availability of resources. This resulted in quicker response times and improved problem solving when faced with issues ranging from employee concerns to operational efficiency. One of the most significant reasons for implementing groupware is its cost effectiveness through extensive sharing of resources and data, it will decrease the individual and redundant hardware and software needs.
This benefit will eventually lead to a more productive environment by reducing the operating costs and maintenance expenses (Khoshafian & Buckiewicz, 1995). The first step to implementing groupware is to evaluate the needs of both the organization and the people who will use the software. The need for implementing groupware may come from the goal of improving operational efficiency and productivity or to gain a strategic advantage (Yen et al. , 1999). Yen et al. , (1999) recommend that a feasibility study take place so that problems or opportunities are clearly identified. Important parts of this study are the inputs from the employees who will use the system.
The feedback received during the study will identify the needs of managers / users and also the functionality which they expect from the new system. The physical implementing of groupware has a heavy emphasis on communication between a computer and its users (Yen et al. , 1999). There is therefore a need to implement communication technology components such as network protocols, hardware and associated system software. Most established organizations will already have all or part of the requirements for effective groupware implementation such as already having networks, database servers and graphic user interfaces. This infrastructure is necessary to allow a variety of tools to be used so that end users are able to view their existing documents and projects which are already stored on company servers, as well as provide the flexibility to exchange documents with other contacts regardless of their current location (Yen et al. , 1999). Yen et al. , (1999) identify two often overlooked factors when considering the software side of groupware; they are group dynamics and group behaviour.
These are in addition to the normal criteria for software selection which commonly encompasses areas such as compatibility, flexibility, user friendliness, adaptability, expandability and usability which also need to be considered (Yen et al. , 1999). The factors of group dynamics and behaviour are influenced often by the ideology of the organization, including company policies, procedures and norms. It may sometimes be necessary to change these in order to break some of the resistance which can occur from group related factors. To summarise the implementation process, management need to be strong minded and be fully supportive about the technology and assist the implementation by eliminating any resistance which may come from individuals.
After completing a feasibility study, the groupware needs to address the specified problem or provide an opportunity for strategic advantage. It may be necessary for managers and team leaders to foster cultural and organizational change so that there is support for the new system and the end users feel comfortable using the technology. Finally on going support needs to be provided so that the employees using the new software realize the benefits the system brings to improve their work life. Sun Microsystems can provide some examples of the implementation of groupware through the use of virtual teams.
After the company made the decision to utilize virtual teams to provide a "lean and mean" organisation, they conducted a conference of a number of CEOs who had utilized teams. These meetings produced two major suggestions. The first was the importance of teamwork. The second suggested the positive potential of "getting employees directly involved in customer satisfaction" (Lipnack and Stamps, 1997). As a result, Sun Microsystems integrated teams, many of them virtual teams, into their total operations. The following examples are taken from Lipnack and Stamps (1997).
The Sun Express' Customer Order Cycle Team developed an electronic data interchange system which allows major customers to place their orders online and receive them within three days. This was a cross-functional virtual team which included both a customer and a supplier and included representatives from four states as well as two international representatives. The virtual teams work was finished in seven months without ever having met face-to-face. The entire team was never in the same room at the same time and only used a weekly conference call (Lipnack and Stamps, 1997). Sun Service's Live Call Transfer Team, which was based in England, had a major impact on customer response time.
It entirely overhauled and simplified Sun Service's call answering process. Because of the necessity of retaining 24 hour, world-wide customer responses it was not possible to pull the team members from the phones. The entire process was conducted by e-mail. The team redesigned office space, telephone technology and new job descriptions.
The team significantly reduced its customer response time and allowed them "to offer 24 -hour global support independent of where the engineers" were located (Lipnack and Stamps, 1997). Sun Service's Two Day Customer Quality Index Team improved their customer service two day response rate from 54 percent problem resolution to 70 percent problem resolution. At the same time they cut the backlog of open customer problems by 49 percent in just nine months. Engineering team members were from five different locations on the US east and west coasts (Lipnack and Stamps, 1997). The Reliability Management System (RMS) Team was fairly large, 25 members, from 12 different units and three continents. The RMS team is trying to solve "how to provide integrated processes, metrics, and...
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Research essay sample on Virtual Teams Sun Microsystems
