Virtual Teams: Towards Improving Work Effectiveness through Collaboration Process Structure Training

Organizations are increasingly using virtual teams to execute business processes by leveraging a distributed workforce and advanced communication and collaboration technologies. Given the growing use of virtual teams in work-place settings, there is a need to impart students with collaboration skills in virtual environments to enable them to perform efficiently in a globalized economy. Due to the complex nature of collaboration in distributed and virtual environments, past research indicates that formalized structured processes are key to successful collaboration and group performance. In this paper, we propose a training program to teach students how to collaborate in virtual settings by focusing on the process aspect. The structuring of the collaboration processes is suggested through the application of successful collaboration patterns deemed thinkLets. These structured templates may be instantiated using common collaboration tools to generate desired collaboration patterns and group processes

Swine Diets Utilizing Wheat

Previous trials have suggested that, when diets were supplemented at the same level and either corn or wheat was used in the same amount as the grain, pig gains were similar. However, pigs fed corn diets were more efficient in terms of both feed use and cost per pound of grain. Wheat diets supplemented at lower levels or assess the value of wheat\u27s higher protein level relative to corn and fed with or without supplemental lysine did not support satisfactory pig performance in terms of gain, feed efficiency or feed cost. Results of these trials suggested that an intermediate level of protein supplementation for wheat should be investigated. The trial reported here was designed with that objective