Achieving high performance outcomes through trust in virtual teams

Developing trust among team members is critical for achieving high performance outcomes. Recently, global business operations necessitated working in a team environment with colleagues outside traditional organizational boundaries, across distances, and across time zones. In this article, we discuss how human resource practices can support organizational initiatives when business operations mandate increased virtual teamwork. We examine the role of HR in enhancing relationship building and the development of trust among workers who may rarely, if ever, meet face-toface. Using research from teamwork, social exchange theory, and knowledge sharing, we discuss how four areas of human resources management—recruitment, training, performance appraisal, and compensation/reward— might combine with technology to facilitate the development of trust among virtual team members

Exploring global barriers to optimal ovarian cancer care:thematic analysis

Objective: To explore the barriers to ovarian cancer care, as reported in the open ended responses of a global expert opinion survey, highlighting areas for improvement in global ovarian cancer care. Potential solutions to overcome these barriers are proposed. Methods: Data from the expert opinion survey, designed to assess the organization of ovarian cancer care worldwide, were analyzed. The survey was distributed across a global network of physicians. We examined free text, open ended responses concerning the barriers to ovarian cancer care. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted to identify, analyze, and report meaningful patterns within the data. Results: A total of 1059 physicians from 115 countries completed the survey, with 438 physicians from 93 countries commenting on the barriers to ovarian cancer care. Thematic analysis gave five major themes, regardless of income category or location: societal factors, inadequate resources in hospital, economic barriers, organization of the specialty, and need for early detection. Suggested solutions include accessible resource stratified guidelines, multidisciplinary teamwork, public education, and development of gynecological oncology training pathways internationally. Conclusions: This analysis provides an international perspective on the main barriers to optimal ovarian cancer care. The themes derived from our analysis highlight key target areas to focus efforts to reduce inequalities in global care. Future regional analysis involving local representatives will enable country specific recommendations to improve the quality of care and ultimately to work towards closing the care gap

Exploring global barriers to optimal ovarian cancer care:thematic analysis

Objective: To explore the barriers to ovarian cancer care, as reported in the open ended responses of a global expert opinion survey, highlighting areas for improvement in global ovarian cancer care. Potential solutions to overcome these barriers are proposed. Methods: Data from the expert opinion survey, designed to assess the organization of ovarian cancer care worldwide, were analyzed. The survey was distributed across a global network of physicians. We examined free text, open ended responses concerning the barriers to ovarian cancer care. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted to identify, analyze, and report meaningful patterns within the data. Results: A total of 1059 physicians from 115 countries completed the survey, with 438 physicians from 93 countries commenting on the barriers to ovarian cancer care. Thematic analysis gave five major themes, regardless of income category or location: societal factors, inadequate resources in hospital, economic barriers, organization of the specialty, and need for early detection. Suggested solutions include accessible resource stratified guidelines, multidisciplinary teamwork, public education, and development of gynecological oncology training pathways internationally. Conclusions: This analysis provides an international perspective on the main barriers to optimal ovarian cancer care. The themes derived from our analysis highlight key target areas to focus efforts to reduce inequalities in global care. Future regional analysis involving local representatives will enable country specific recommendations to improve the quality of care and ultimately to work towards closing the care gap

Developing Global Mindset and the Impact on Virtual Teams

[Excerpt] Increasingly global and competitive in nature, today’s work environment necessitates more cooperation, collaboration, and cross-cultural understanding than ever before. Many significant changes have altered the way companies conduct business. Companies now compete in a global economy that demands quality goods and services at competitive prices. Consumers, through increasing demand for better quality, force companies to remain competitive by providing (1) tailored solutions for specific needs and (2) responding rapidly to market changes. In this global context, speed and personalized solutions create customer growth. But how do multinational companies respond to these two often competing forces? Expanding on the concept of traditional teams, one solution has been to institute virtual teams composed of diverse members best suited to a variety of projects. Consistent with the increasingly global context in which these teams operate, members of virtual teams must be dynamic, flexible, and culturally intelligent in order to speedily deliver tailored products and services globally. Considering the increased use of virtual teams, this paper aims to explore the role of a global mindset in overcoming the challenges associated with working across cultures, especially when such teamwork occurs at a distance. Next, the differences between local and global mindsets will be discussed and essential global competencies identified. Finally, strategies for developing a global mindset in leaders and employees will be outlined

A generational perspective on work values in a South African sample

Published ArticleConsiderable interest has been generated globally by researchers regarding the impact of generational differences on employee interaction in the workplace. This is due to the assertion that multicultural environments combined with multigenerational workforces create additional organisational stumbling blocks for global leadership (Roongrerngsuke & Liefooghe, 2013). As such, it is hypothesised that intergenerational conflict in the workplace occurs as a result of differences in terms of values, cognitions and behaviour, with negative consequences for communication, teamwork and ultimately organisational outcomes (Sessa, Kabacoff, Deal & Brown, 2007). Furthermore, a new generation of employees is entering the workplace, with different values and preferences towards work, which influences human resource processes (Latkovikj & Popovska, 2015). Elaborating on the work of D’Amato and Herzfeldt (2008), it is indicated that work motivation and retention concerns are related to generational differences (Seipert & Baghurst, 2014)

The contribution of teamwork, thinking styles, and innovation towards knowledge management

Knowledge management can be enhanced by creating conditions that facilitate knowledge creation, thus the concepts of teamwork,thinking styles, and innovation are central to the effective utilisationof knowledge. This paper presents the results of a survey of 156 civil servants at Putrajaya, investigating relationships between teamwork and thinking styles with technology diffusion and innovation and organisational innovation. The results indicated that team quality and external thinking style made the greatest contribution toward technology diffusion and innovation

A framework for design engineering education in a global context

This paper presents a framework for teaching design engineering in a global context using innovative technologies to enable distributed teams to work together effectively across international and cultural boundaries. The DIDET Framework represents the findings of a 5-year project conducted by the University of Strathclyde, Stanford University and Olin College which enhanced student learning opportunities by enabling them to partake in global, team based design engineering projects, directly experiencing different cultural contexts and accessing a variety of digital information sources via a range of innovative technology. The use of innovative technology enabled the formalization of design knowledge within international student teams as did the methods that were developed for students to store, share and reuse information. Coaching methods were used by teaching staff to support distributed teams and evaluation work on relevant classes was carried out regularly to allow ongoing improvement of learning and teaching and show improvements in student learning. Major findings of the 5 year project include the requirement to overcome technological, pedagogical and cultural issues for successful eLearning implementations. The DIDET Framework encapsulates all the conclusions relating to design engineering in a global context. Each of the principles for effective distributed design learning is shown along with relevant findings and suggested metrics. The findings detailed in the paper were reached through a series of interventions in design engineering education at the collaborating institutions. Evaluation was carried out on an ongoing basis and fed back into project development, both on the pedagogical and the technological approaches

Diabetes in Malta : current findings and future trends

Diabetes is a considerable global problem. Recent projections suggest that at least 194 million people suffer from diabetes worldwide. The World Health Organization suggests this number will increase to 333 million by 2025. Approximately four million deaths each year are caused by diabetes-related complications totaling an astounding 9% of deaths worldwide. Currently, epidemiological studies indicate that 1% of the Maltese population suffer from Type I Diabetes Mellitus and 9% from Type II Diabetes Mellitus. Following global predictions, it is probable that the incidence of Type I diabetes will increase also. This article evaluates the current Maltese diabetic care system and conducts a strategic analysis of diabetic practices. Recommendations for a cost-effective standard of care, legislative support for comprehensive diabetic care, and a national policy are proposed.peer-reviewe

Virtual reality simulation for the optimization of endovascular procedures : current perspectives

Endovascular technologies are rapidly evolving, often - requiring coordination and cooperation between clinicians and technicians from diverse specialties. These multidisciplinary interactions lead to challenges that are reflected in the high rate of errors occurring during endovascular procedures. Endovascular virtual reality (VR) simulation has evolved from simple benchtop devices to full physic simulators with advanced haptics and dynamic imaging and physiological controls. The latest developments in this field include the use of fully immersive simulated hybrid angiosuites to train whole endovascular teams in crisis resource management and novel technologies that enable practitioners to build VR simulations based on patient-specific anatomy. As our understanding of the skills, both technical and nontechnical, required for optimal endovascular performance improves, the requisite tools for objective assessment of these skills are being developed and will further enable the use of VR simulation in the training and assessment of endovascular interventionalists and their entire teams. Simulation training that allows deliberate practice without danger to patients may be key to bridging the gap between new endovascular technology and improved patient outcomes