Directorate of distance education master of business administration

Characteristics 
 
 
Characteristics of virtual organization are 
Power flexibility 
 
ӹ Informal communication 
 
ӹ Flat organization 
 
ӹ Multidisciplinary teams 
 
ӹ Goal orientation 
 
ӹ Dynamics 
 
ӹ Homework 
 
ӹ Customer orientation 
 
ӹ Sharing of information 
 
ӹ Vague organizational boundaries. 
The driving force in a virtual organization is basically the virtual 
team. Every organization requires a team to carry over the activities in an 
orderly fashion, and such a team also exists in a virtual organization. In a 
virtual team, members’ primary interaction is through some combination 
of electronic communication system to tie up with dispersed members 
who never or rarely come face to face. Here people communicate online 
using links like WAN, videoconferencing and e-mail. 

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The concept of virtual teams has gained considerable attention 
in recent years. Within global organizations, the virtual team involves 
collaboration and teamwork between a temporarily separated workforce. 
Such collaboration may also extend beyond the organizational 
boundary, linking partners in joint ventures and contractors who are 
in various locations. Virtual team working is potentially necessary for 
global organizations. It requires trust relationship. Personalized trust 
relationships are essential for continuous virtual team working. Such 
personalized trust relationships are normally established through face-
to-face interaction and socialization. 
The differences of virtual teams from face-to-face teams are 
1.  Absence of Para- verbal and non-verbal cues. 
2.  Limited social context. 
3.  Ability to overcome time and space constraints.