Effectiveness of Collaborative Tool Usagefor Virtual Team Activities

摘要

This research explores the use of collaborative tools and their relationship with team tasks to develop a better understandingrnof computer support of virtual teaming from the theoretical perspective of Adaptive Structuration Theory (AST). High-levelrnIT executives from 53 large organizations surveyed were asked to identify: 1) which collaborative tools are used within theirrnorganizations; 2) their frequency of use; 3) how they are used; and 4) how successful the tools are. AST, which hasrnpreviously been applied to studies of technologies supporting group work (Poole and DeSanctis, 1990) conceives ofrntechnology use as a social practice that emerges over time. Successful use of a technology is dependent upon therneffectiveness with which groups appropriate and modify the technology to meet their needs. The research discusses therndifferences in how collaborative tools are used between high- and low-performing virtual teaming groups, as well as howrndifferent organization structures appear at different stages of virtual team development.