Collaborating in a virtual team: the challenges of purpose, people and technology

This paper reports on the results of an ethnographic study of a virtual team project in the travel and tourism industry. Key elements that contributed to the team's ability to work effectively and gain benefit are identified and discussed within the context of the case. It was found that the caretaker/gatekeeper role of the project leader made a significant contribution to overcoming problems arising from project complexity. However, the lack of commitment to a range of information technologies heightened the reliance on periodic face to-face meetings to provide an environment that supported team interactions.