Virtual R&D Teams

Proposal of a model for effective management and development of virtual teams Petr Skyrik Abstract The main aim of this paper is to present a pilot proposal of a model of “Virtual Development Management System” (ViDeMaS) which will facilitate more effective management and development of virtual teams. Management and development of virtual teams is not a simple concept. It comprises a body of knowledge from a number of fields and scientific disciplines. The complexity of the koncept may not be simplified as it is absolutely essential for full understanding of its nature. In order to gain better orientation in the concept, different perspectives will be used in the description of the model, which will enable us to achieve the goal of the work and to present the main results of the work (creation of a model for Virtual Development Management System). The present paper thus describes from different perspectives the proposal of a sufficiently detailed and complex model that may be utilized both on theoretical and application level.

Virtual R&D Teams

The performance of new product development (NPD) is greatly affected by communication strategy and the information technology tools used to support the strategy. A number of users of NPD processes claim that an adequate communication strategy decreases their product cycle time and cost. However, the problem with evaluating the impact of information transfer is that no one has ever specifically measured how performant communication strategies are, or how effective information transfer tools are. For this purpose, a model was developed to evaluate communication strategies, and a set of communication measurement tools was identified to gauge the efficiency of information transfer. This study examines communication within NPD processes at three companies and measures how well information was transmitted, stored, and retrieved. The results indicate that a shorter, more efficient communication process reduces time and effort, and that a shift toward formal methods and passive information tools (computer-based systems) results in more effective and easier coordination as well as better integration.

Research Tools This presentation is designed to help students who seek to reduce the search time by expanding the knowledge of researchers to more effectively use the "tools" that are available through the Net.

Virtual Teams For New Product Development – An Innovative Experience For R&D Engineers Nader Ale Ebrahim, Shamsuddin Ahmed and Zahari Taha