Real Problems with Virtual Teams: An Analysis of the Factors Leading to Dysfunctional Online Collaboration

U21Global Working Paper No. 005/2005

8 Pages Posted: 17 May 2010

See all articles by Wing Lam

Wing Lam

U21Global Graduate School

Alton Chua

Nanyang Technological University (NTU)

Jeremy B Williams

Zayed University

Date Written: June 1, 2005

Abstract

In online education, virtual teams play an important role in collaborative and peer learning. Unlike traditional face-to-face teams, the students in a virtual team may be geographically distributed, work in different time zones, and may never physically meet face-to-face. Universitas 21 Global, one of the new breed of online universities, has incorporated the use of virtual teams in its pedagogy since the inception of its MBA programme in August 2003. In their capacity as lead instructors, whose role it is to oversee the smooth running of individual class sections, the researchers report on some of the problems that have been observed with virtual teams.

Keywords: Online education, MBA, Virtual teams, Collaborative learning

Suggested Citation

Lam, Wing and Chua, Alton and Williams, Jeremy B, Real Problems with Virtual Teams: An Analysis of the Factors Leading to Dysfunctional Online Collaboration (June 1, 2005). U21Global Working Paper No. 005/2005, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1607602 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1607602

Wing Lam (Contact Author)

U21Global Graduate School ( email )

88B, Level Three, Amoy Street
Singapore, 069907
Singapore

Alton Chua

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) ( email )

S3 B2-A28 Nanyang Avenue
Singapore, 639798
Singapore

Jeremy B Williams

Zayed University ( email )

P.O. Box 19282
Dubai
United Arab Emirates

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