Is learning in virtual teams real?

This paper investigated the effectiveness of communication technology in support of executive learning in virtual teamenvironments. The investigation is motivated by two widely observed recent phenomena. First, advancedcommunication technology and globalization are fueling a transition toward new organizational forms. One such formis the virtual organization (Byrne 1993, Davidow and Malone 1992, Grenier and Metes 1995), which consist ofindividuals collaborating and working out of physically dispersed locations (Fulk and DeSanctis 1995). Virtualorganizations, thus, rely on virtual teams for obtaining member participation and coordinating individual effort inproductive work. Second, our society and economy are moving into a "knowledge era" in which knowledge isbecoming a key factor in production and wealth creation. In a knowledge economy, organizational learning(stemming from executive learning) is a key factor in maintaining competitiveness. Thus, creating virtual organizationalforms that are conducive to learning is fundamental for organizational performance in the 21st century.