For this project, you will work in a team where you will be creating a narrated PowerPoint presentation on implementing virtual, multicultural, geographically distributed teams in your organization. You will prepare and conduct your presentation over the next 13 steps, during which you will review data on types of teams, team roles, and team leadership. Before you get started, read the full description of the final deliverable and the steps to completion.
Team members are expected to find the information required to address the specific questions they are required to answer at each step of the project. The primary purpose of Project 4 is for teams to show they understand and can apply the key MBA concepts found throughout Project 4 to the particular organization the team has selected for study. Project 4 is not complete until the key MBA concepts from each step’s materials have been applied, as applicable, to the team’s organization.
It is the team’s obligation to demonstrate both an understanding of the organization they selected and explain, apply, and integrate the key MBA concepts provided to them within the project’s course materials to that organization. Examples of how the MBA concepts and course materials provided apply to an organization are expected. The sources used should be properly cited (APA) in-text and listed in a reference section.
Begin your presentation by going to Step 1: Meet Teammates and Select an Organization.
When you submit your project, your work will be evaluated using the competencies listed below. You can use the list below to self-check your work before submission.
1.3: Provide sufficient, correctly cited support that substantiates the writer’s ideas.
1.4: Tailor communications to the audience.
1.5: Use sentence structure appropriate to the task, message and audience.
1.7: Create neat and professional looking documents appropriate for the project or presentation.
1.8: Create clear oral messages.
2.1: Identify and clearly explain the issue, question, or problem under critical consideration.
2.2: Locate and access sufficient information to investigate the issue or problem.
2.3: Evaluate the information in a logical and organized manner to determine its value and relevance to the problem.
2.4: Consider and analyze information in context to the issue or problem.
2.5: Develop well-reasoned ideas, conclusions or decisions, checking them against relevant criteria and benchmarks.
4.1: Lead and/or participate in a diverse group to accomplish projects and assignments.
4.2: Demonstrate the ability to plan and execute a project, articulating clear objectives and goals for the team.
4.3: Contribute to team projects, assignments, or organizational goals as an engaged member of a team.
4.4: Demonstrate diversity and inclusiveness in a team setting.
5.1: Develop constructive resolutions for ethical dilemmas based on application of ethical theories, principles and models.
5.2: Assess the implications of legal, ethical and cultural (national) standards on an organization’s operations in global markets and make recommendations for appropriate actions.
5.4: Resolve workplace conflicts using the optimal approaches and techniques for the situation and involved parties.
8.2: Analyze an organization’s current technology capabilities and needs, identifying specific strengths and areas of weakness.
9.1: Design organizational structure, systems and processes that support the strategic goals of the organization.
11.1: Recommend strategic plan for the use of technology to meet the strategic goals of organization.
13.1: Identify and analyze new opportunities.
13.2: Create and implement new initiative or enterprise.
Step 1
First, introduce yourself. You’re all new to this team, so give everyone a little bit of background about yourself. Then review the following resources:
description of the final deliverable
instructions on how to create a narrated PowerPoint presentation
remaining steps to completion for this project
As a team, select an organization to work with. To do this, first review your individual organizational analysis projects. Then, as a team, decide if one of your organizations might be a good choice for Project 4. If none of the team members’ organizations seem to be a good fit for this project, identify and agree on a possible alternative to submit to your professor for approval.
Your team is expected to identify necessary facts about their chosen organization for the project and to integrate relevant MBA concepts and course materials with those facts. Throughout the project, your team should demonstrate a deep understanding of both your organization and the MBA concepts and course materials.
After you have a good idea of the scope of work, discuss with your instructor any limiting factors you may encounter as you work on this project.
When you have completed this step, proceed to Step 2, where you will work on a team agreement, project work plan, and team member grid.
Step 2
The next step is to complete a team agreement template, project work plan (using this project plan template), and the team member grid downloaded from the My Reports section of the CliftonStrengths website. These tools are especially important because you (1) are a new team and (2) will be geographically distributed.
Post your team agreement and project work plan in your group discussion for review and feedback. You will not submit your team member grid, but its completion is required for you to finish your team agreement.
Next, proceed to Step 3, where you will investigate team types and team principles.
Step 3
The next step is to select from the types of teams the one that makes the most sense, given the mission and goals of your organization. After picking the team type, create a set of general team principles or guidelines that should be useful for a virtual team. Provide a rationale for both decisions.
Next, continue to Step 4, where you will consider the challenges and solutions to the recommendations you made in Step 3.
Step 4 Analyze Challenges, Solutions, and Recommendations
Once you have made recommendations about team types and objectives, it’s time to think through challenges and solutions to those recommendations. With your teammates, consider the following factors:
Given your recommendations in Step 3, identify and analyze challenges that are likely to arise in coordinating the work of these geographically dispersed teams (in Paris, Tokyo, Honolulu, and on the East Coast of the United States).
Analyze the available options for ensuring successful operations in light of these challenges.
Determine whether using a follow-the-sun model makes sense for the team’s tasks and objectives or whether there is a more appropriate way of managing the team’s project work.
Based on your analysis, develop, propose, and defend a recommendation about how to organize and manage workflow to leverage the capacity of teams located in multiple time zones.
When you have finished this step, proceed to Step 5 to make recommendations about team composition.
Step 5: Make Recommendations for Team Composition
It’s time to start looking at the teams themselves and thinking about how they should be composed. Keep the following preferences in mind as you make recommendations about team composition:
Recommend ideal team size, team composition, and team roles, based on your organization’s needs.
Analyze options for handling team leadership.
Identify the team leadership model best suited for your organization and provide a rationale for your explanation.
Next, proceed to Step 6, where you will review team member personality assessments.
Step 6: Review Team Member Personality Assessments
After your team has decided on team composition, the next step is to learn how personality assessments coupled with follow-up training and development (including coaching and mentoring) can enable successful teams.
As consider the use of personality assessments, you and your team should complete the following tasks:
First, review the following areas from Project 1:
the Clifton Strengths Class Discussion
the team member grid found in the Reports section of the Clifton Strengths website, and
the various readings you did on personality assessments and your experience with Clifton Strengths in particular.
Discuss with your team how various combinations of personalities might affect team development or team dynamics.
Identify team assessments the team should take.
Explain why and how these assessments will help team members do the following:
manage disagreements
limit harmful conflict
build swift trust
prevent free ridership
make timely decisions
complete assigned work
qualify as a high-performing team
Consider the possible steps your client organization might take to limit challenges associated with likely personality differences and other differences among team members.
When you have finished this step, proceed to Step 7, where you will consider cultural differences across countries.
Step 7: Address Country Cultural Differences
The next challenge to tackle is cultural differences. As a result of this merger, many members of your virtual teams will be French, Japanese, and American, and you will need to make suggestions about how to navigate cultural differences and preferences among team members of these nationalities. This resource on country cultural differences provides guidance about how to proceed with this important component of your team project.
After reading the resources on country cultural differences, complete the following tasks:
Identify potential sources of concern about having company operations in different locations around the world.
Make and defend recommendations about the optimal approach to prepare for cultural differences and preferences among team members.
Next, continue to Step 8, where you will research group decision-making processes.
Step 8: Research Group Decision-Making Processes
You have probably come to realize since you started working on this project the importance of having good mechanisms in place to make decisions as a group. Research and compile a list of specific resources for brainstorming and other decision-making processes.
When you have finished this step, proceed to Step 9, where you will identify training and technology needs.
Step 9: Identify Training and Technology Needs
After reading up on how to make decisions as a group, your next step will be to identify training opportunities. To identify those opportunities, complete the following tasks:
Identify optimal information and communication technology (ICT) (team communication) to facilitate communication, collaboration, and decision making.
Identify necessary training for virtual teams and consider the pros and cons of the CEO’s preference to conduct the team training online rather than with a preliminary face-to-face meeting.
Include a cost-benefit analysis that helps the CEO understand the pros and cons of her preference for virtual teams. Refer to the Michel and Oliverio (2007) article in cost-benefit analysis.
Next, continue Step 10, where you will prepare recommendations for team management.
Step 10: Prepare Recommendations for Team Management
Finally, after completing all previous steps, you should have some recommendations for team management, one of the most important elements of any work team. To this end, complete the following tasks:
Identify and analyze the options for managing these geographically dispersed multinational and multicultural virtual teams.
Prepare recommendations that will help the CEO make the best decision about how to manage this teams.
After completing this step, proceed to Step 11, where you will consider other advantages and challenges your organization may face.
Step 11: Identify Other Advantages and Challenges
You’re nearly done with this project, but after surveying your results, you and your teammates agree that you have to address one last issue. Though cost is important, it shouldn’t be the only determining factor in the decision to implement virtual teams.
Identify other advantages and challenges the organization is likely to confront when making this strategic change to virtual, cross-site, global teams.
Next, proceed to Step 12, which gives instructions for submitting your final team PowerPoint presentation.
