Title: Too far apart! - An evaluation of the challenges impeding virtual teams' success

Authors: Douglas Aghimien; Lerato Aghimien; Clinton Aigbavboa; Siphiwe Dhladhla

Addresses: School of Art, Design and Architecture, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK ' Department of Construction Management and Quantity Surveying, University of Johannesburg, South Africa ' CIDB Centre of Excellence, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Johannesburg, South Africa ' CIDB Centre of Excellence, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract: In today's business world, technological advancement, globalisation and the recent global pandemic have contributed to the increased use of virtual teams (VTs). However, the use of VTs in the construction industry in South Africa and the challenges facing this type of team are yet to be explored. Therefore, this study assessed the challenges facing VTs in the South African construction industry using a questionnaire as the data collection instrument. The data were analysed using percentage, mean item score, Kruskal-Wallis H-test, and fuzzy synthetic evaluation. The study found five groups of challenges impeding the success of VTs. Based on the findings, the study concludes that top management and owners of construction organisations seeking to improve their project success through VTs must put measures in place to address issues relating to: 1) trust and cohesion; 2) diversity; 3) leadership; 4) communications; 5) task specifications. Practically, should the identified challenges be considered, construction organisations would be able to use their VTs to deliver construction projects effectively. Theoretically, the study contributes to the existing discourse on VTs by showing these challenges from the South African construction industry perspective, where such a study does not exist.

Keywords: construction industry; fuzzy synthetic evaluation; FSE; remote work; project team; virtual team.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBGE.2024.137081

International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics, 2024 Vol.18 No.2, pp.136 - 153

Received: 21 Feb 2023
Accepted: 10 Apr 2023
Published online: 01 Mar 2024 *

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