A study of the perceived learning experiences of cross -functional virtual teams working in a global technology company

In today's workplace, characterized by competitive challenges and rapid technological change, companies are unwilling to incur costs of frequent travel for face-to-face meetings. Cross-functional teams have been said to enhance organizational effectiveness. These teams are increasingly global and virtual in nature, but in spite of their prevalence, little is known about their interaction in the workplace. If companies are to successfully leverage the benefits of these teams, they must have accurate information on how these teams can work more productively.;This case study was conducted over a 13-month period to shed light on the perceived virtual team learning experiences of workers in one global technology company given the pseudonym “Alpha.” Telephone interviews were conducted with 19 participants. Sections of two virtual teams with three members in each section, identified by Alpha as successful (SVT), were interviewed and compared with sections of two virtual teams with three members each who were identified as partially successful (PSVT). Seven individuals who had worked on different virtual teams were also interviewed. All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed.;The findings suggested that virtual teams learn by interacting with organizational conditions, interpersonal relationships, and cognitive processes. Organizational conditions that influence virtual team learning included regulated communication structure and clear evaluation criteria. These were more important for virtual teams because of remoteness. Other organizational conditions were adequate resources, and management support. All virtual teams reported healthy group dynamics, such as trust, conflict management, and cooperative leadership. Differences in team cognitive styles surfaced where some teams successfully reframed views and integrated perspectives using reflective thinking, while others pooled information and came to business decisions by majority vote using analytical thinking. Successful collaborative behaviors included face-to-face meetings, good communication, having a specific meeting agenda, and effective use of virtual technology.;These findings differed from previous face-to-face team learning studies by bridging the gap between structural conditions, cognitive processes, and collaborative learning behaviors to view virtual team learning through a more holistic lens. The findings inform research and practice by expanding our understanding of virtual team learning processes and conditions.