1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background
Many projects are being executed in a decentralised fashion. Over the past few years, many organisations on a global scale have shifted away from more traditional forms of communication and collaboration in favour of a more unified virtual global environment (Bordia, 2017). IT giants like Microsoft, Amazon, and SalesForce were among the first to implement the practice of coordinating work on an international scale (Sarah, 2013). Because of the prevalence of international projects, the idea of “virtual teams,” or geographically dispersed teams, emerged. The foundations of modern IT were laid somewhere during the industrial revolution.
In contrast, the creation of the first computer is often cited as the beginning of the information technology revolution. The advent of computers has significantly facilitated globalisation and the information society. “Computer” is an acronym for “Commonly Oriented Machine Purposefully Used for Technology, Education, and Research” (Panigrahy, 2010). The Internet as we know it today is an information infrastructure that includes spreading and redistributing data. After multiple browsers adopted World Wide Web (WWW) technology, users could begin searching the Internet for virtually any topic (Leiner et al., 2009). The emergence of the information society has long been anticipated. There is an almost infinite amount of data accessible today. A cheap global connection links all continents, countries, and individuals. Developing the Internet and IT has led to a new borderless global economy (Acsai, 2016).
Business platforms have been around since the introduction of the first IBM PC. ERPs, CRMs, sourcing databases, and social media management tools are just a few examples of the many types of business platforms available. Regarding the intersection of IT and business, new business platforms stand far above the rest. We can no longer view new platforms merely as administrative tools but as potential sites for entirely novel ways of doing business. Simply put, the impetus for the new economy has led to the rise of virtual project management. The term “virtual project management” refers to a subset of worldwide project management in which the managed team is not co-located in a single physical location (Acsai, 2016). Virtual team members are physically dispersed but work together to complete a common goal. They do so by exchanging information and coordinating their efforts via digital communication (Powell, Piccoli, and Ives, 2014). “A group of people with complementary competencies who execute concurrent collaborative work processes through electronic media regardless of geographic location” (Bordia, 2017) is how others have characterised virtual teams. From these descriptions, it is easy to see that team members spend little time together in person. The use of international virtual teams has been on the rise for decades due to improvements in information technology, increased corporate resilience, a variety of efficient methods of communication, and the spread of the Covid-19 virus (Nawaz, 2021). Email, instant messaging, and video chats are just a few common online means of interaction.
As a result, teams can keep working in a virtual environment even if they cannot physically meet face-to-face (Nawaz, 2021). The COVID-19 pandemic hastened a transition from manual to automated approaches in project management that had already been underway (Wu, 2021). COVID-19 has halted global commerce and caused widespread disruption across all lifestyles (Wu, 2021). Companies and industries are adjusting their procedures in response to the coronavirus outbreak (Wu, 2021). This study sheds light on the value of digital project management, its incorporation of digital technologies, the remote project manager’s evolving role, and the significance and unexpected shift in the rise of virtual teams.
1.2 Aims and Objectives
Aim
The project proposal aims to examine the role of digital and virtual teams in project management in the IT industry and investigate the best practices for managing such teams.
Objectives
- To examine the potential advantages and disadvantages of digital and virtual teams in project management
- To identify the best practices for managing digital and virtual teams within the IT industry
- To investigate the implications of digital and remote teams in project management within the IT industry
- To provide recommendations on how to manage digital and remote teams in project management within the IT industry
1.3 Research Questions
- What are the benefits and drawbacks of IT project management employing digital and remote teams?
- What are the most effective methods for leading virtual IT teams, mainly in digital environments?
- How can remote and digital teams change IT project administration?
- Regarding project management, what are some best practices for overseeing digital and remote teams?
1.4 Rationale
The rationale for the study is as follows
Significance to the IT industry
The IT sector was one of the first industries to embrace remote and digital teams fully. The spread of the COVID-19 virus has hastened the trend toward remote work, making remote and digital teams all the more valuable in recent years. The importance of remote and digital teams in IT project management, their advantages, and the best leadership methods cannot be overstated.
Significance to project managers
Successful projects depend on well-managed teams, so project managers are essential. Project managers face new challenges as they learn to effectively lead remote and virtual teams. As a result, it is essential to determine what works best when managing remote and digital teams and advise project managers on how to do so.
Significance to Team Members
Members of virtual and distributed teams may experience some difficulties that impact their productivity and happiness on the job. Members of remote and digital teams in managing projects can better understand their role and find strategies to improve their job performance and sense of fulfilment if they know the advantages and disadvantages of employing such teams.
Significance to academia
There have been few studies on the impact of remote and virtual teams on project management, especially outside of the IT sector. This research can fill a gap in the literature by examining the repercussions of using remote and digital teams for handling projects in the IT sector and finding the best methods for managing such teams.
2.0 Literature
2.1 Overview
In this section, relevant works to the current inquiry are presented. This research aims to define the value of remote workers and virtual groups in project administration. The study’s fundamental hypotheses inform the following themes for the literature review: the idea of remote teams, the advantages of remote and virtual teams, and the elements of remote project management
2.2 Concept of Digital Teams
A virtual team is a group of people or stakeholders working together on a single project despite physical distance and time zone differences using heavy information and communication technologies (ICTs). Virtuality, which suggests separation in space and time and a common goal, is a defining feature (Muhammad, Bhatti, Chand, Bachal, & Nawaz 2021).
2.3 Benefits of remote teams
Data sharing across organisations is a breeze in the modern era. According to Akbar et al. (2017), virtual information systems have the potential to reduce the power of customers and sellers, build obstacles that slow the growth of new competitors, increase product and service differentiation, and distinguish them from potential alternatives. These systems are becoming increasingly common and have altered industry boundaries. As stated by Akbar et al. (2017), virtual systems can aid managers in lowering the price of rivalry actions and, in certain situations, doing away with the necessity for competitive acts and reactions altogether.
Virtual decision support systems can help a business save money by providing numerous benefits, such as increased individual productivity and fewer staff requirements, accelerated problem resolution, and tighter organisational control (Khan et al., 2011). Cost-cutting managers should watch for instances in which decisions take too long, problems keep coming up, and the outcomes could be better. When there is a higher turnover of decision makers, training is delayed and ineffective, and activities, departments, and projects must be better managed, DSSs can help cut costs.
2.4 Elements of Virtual Teams
Trust, collaboration, motivation, autonomy and communication are some elements of virtual teams. Trust is the backbone of efficient remote teams. Nevertheless, trust is hard to establish, especially amongst a geographically dispersed team where unplanned encounters are rare and awkward to arrange. Successful remote teams have learned to collaborate across different geographical and time zones, as stated by Akbar et al. (2017). Because of the systems and processes in place to structure, promote, and encourage team cooperation, these groups can work together and use each member’s unique set of skills to get the job done and achieve the intended results. Leaders of virtual teams who excel at their jobs do so because they keep their teams engaged and on task. They motivate team members by finding ways to ensure that they all feel like they have a voice in important decisions, that their efforts matter, and that they are being recognised for their contributions (Akram, Abrar-ul-Haq, & Surjit, 2018). The staff of remote teams must keep communication open because they are geographically dispersed, and in-person meetings are infrequent (Nawaz, Haseeb, Malik, Ali, & Malik, 2020).
2.5 Summary
Organisations can now more effectively utilise their resources thanks to the rise of the virtual team (Akram, Abrar-ul-Haq, & Surjit, 2018). However, there needs to be an assurance of achievement when assembling a virtual team. Companies with high-functioning, productive virtual teams carefully select team members who can succeed remotely. Virtual leaders must employ several of the above strategies to keep their teams motivated, effective, and efficient even when they have the best people in place (Akram, Abrar-ul-Haq, & Surjit, 2018).
3.0 Research Philosophy and Design
3.1 Research method/ methodology
Data initially acquired for another purpose will be analysed in this study using a secondary data analysis research design. In this case, the study will collect information from books, publications, and academic articles discussing remote and remote IT project management teams. The study topics will drive the selection and analysis of secondary data.
3.2 Data collection
Literature research on the function of virtual and remote teams in project management will provide the raw material for this investigation. Existing databases will be used for the review. , the study will be searching for terms like “virtual teams,” “remote teams,” “project management,” and “IT industry” to find answers to the topics the study is asking
3.3 Sampling
Due to using a research strategy based on the analysis of previously collected data, no primary data will be collected for this study. Instead, the sample will be made up of any papers that will be useful in a thorough analysis of the current literature.
3.4 Data Analysis
The information collected from the literature review will be subjected to thematic analysis. A thematic analysis will extract patterns, themes, and concepts pertinent to the study objectives. The discovered themes will be categorised and sub-categorised to create a conceptual framework that accurately portrays the study’s findings.
3.5 Access and Ethics
Because the literature to be analysed here will already be in the public domain, the study will not have to worry about any breaches in privacy or security. However, certain publications may contain confidential information, such as sensitive data about individuals or trade secrets about businesses. Safeguards must be in place to prevent unauthorised access or use of the information in such a situation.
The proper credit and reference of the data are equally crucial to its ethical use. To avoid accusations of plagiarism or intellectual property theft, it is crucial to accurately attribute and cite all data sources used in the study.
4.0 Summary
4.1 summary
This project proposal aims to learn more about how digital and remote teams impact IT project management. The study’s overarching themes are “virtual teams,” “virtual team benefits in project management,” and “virtual project management’s” core components.
The proposed research strategy is a qualitative investigation that uses a strategy for analysing secondary data. Existing literature that fits the inclusion and exclusion criteria will be systematically reviewed to compile the study’s data. The collected data will extract key themes and patterns through thematic analysis.
4.2 Timescale
The following is the time scale for the project.
4.3 Anticipated Limitations
The research strategy and methods provided include several caveats that must be considered. The study’s use of secondary data could restrict the breadth and depth of the investigation. The results might also be limited in their applicability because the study will be conducted only with publicly available English-language literature.
References
Acsai, G.H. (2016). Project Management of Virtual Teams: A Qualitative Inquiry. Master’sDissertation. The University Of Tampere.
Akbar, M. A. et al. (2017). Improving the quality of the software development process by introducing a new methodology–AZ-model. IEEE: 4811-4823.
Akram, F., Abrar-ul-Haq, M., & Surjit, V. (2018). Work-Life Balance among dual working couples in Pakistan. International Journal of Innovative Knowledge Concepts, 9(11)
Khan, S. et al (2011). Factors influencing clients selecting offshore software outsourcing vendors: An exploratory study using a systematic literature review. Journal of systems and software 84.4 686-699.
Muhammad, F., Bhatti, Z., Chand, J., Bachal, M., & Nawaz, A. (2021). Multimedia-based learning using Animation for the Sindhi language. IKSP Journal of Computer Science and Engineering, 1(1).
Nawaz, A. et al. (2021). Role of Project Management in Virtual Team’s Success. CSP Journal of Computer Science and Engineering. 1(2): 32-42
Nawaz, A., Haseeb, A., Malik, H. A., Ali, Q., & Malik, A. (2020). Genetic association among morphological traits of Zea mays seedlings under salt stress. Biol Clin Sci Res J, 21
Park, A. & Luminita, P. (2014). E-leadership for project managers: Virtual leadership and trust-building for perceived project success. Unpublished Master Thesis, JonkopingUniversity, Sweden.
Sarah, F. (2013). “Developing Relationships in Virtual Teams -Blog.” January 8.https://publichealthonline.gwu.edu/developing-relationships-in-virtual-teams/
Wu, T. (2021). “Digital project management: rapid changes define new working environments”, Journal of Business Strategy, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBS-03-2021-004725.
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