1.
Conflict due to Cultural Differences
- Different Workplace practices.
- Different Cultures of team members.
- No common Language.
2. Over-Dependence on Virtual Teams
- Most Teams are Virtual.
- Reason being - multiple sites around the world.
3. Unplanned allocation of Team Members
- Random allocation of members and their duties.
- Line managers with no experience transferred to Project Managers.
- Key positions held by underqualified professionals.(Right to exercise Power)
4. Absence of Motivational Factors & Reluctance towards new members
- The high motivation & energy levels fades as the project progress.
- There is reluctance towards acceptance of new members, forcing them to leave.
TACKLING CULTURAL CONFLICTS – Setup Guidelines
Using Tuckman & Jensen’s Norming Stage to agree up on procedures,
process and communication .
• Everyone will have a set of guideline and task they need to
perform.
• Steps for how the communication would take place, for e.g. face
to face communication should be followed up emails.
• Mandatory training of employees to learn language used for
communication.
Myatt (2012, para. 10) suggests ‘Having clearly defined job descriptions so that
people know what’s expected of them, and a well articulated chain of command
to allow for effective communication will also help avoid conflicts.’
(Scott-Young, 2018)
MANAGING VIRTUAL TEAMS- Division of Teams
Subdivision of teams according to nearest time zones with a leader from
central management of the project.
• Central Leader would guide all teams
towards central goal.
• Central leader could easily manage
conflict being the central point of
contact.
• Teams in similar time zones would
coordinate better and communication
will become easier.
(Mitlacher 2012)
ALLOCATING TEAM MEMBERS – Work Breakdown Structure
Work Breakdown System (WBS) should be developed and analysed to
monitor the responsibilities provided.
• Team members with similar work background
should be placed together, this can be done
through evaluating the job profile and allocating
the members.
• Training and necessary knowledge about the
workplace should be made mandatory, before
allocating the member to a new location.
• This will decrease the conflict evolved due to the
less experienced member being allocated to the
site with already experienced members.
(Verma 1998)
MOTIVATION AND ACCEPTANCE- Develop Team Cohesion
Encouraging interactions outside workplace, identify team goals and
strengthen the bonding between team members.(Copeland & Wida
1996)
• Regular social gatherings would help team
member develop similar attitudes, agreeableness
and carefulness preventing conflict. (Tekleab &.
Quingley 2013)
• Adding these interactions in norming phase itself
will help in solving other identified conflicts as well.
• Will help team members identify to common
workplace culture practices.
(TUCKMAN, 1965)
• FORMING STAGE
• Informal Team meetings
• Interactions outside workplace.
• Technical training to new team members.
• Identify Tasks.
• Identify similar Goals.
• Identify Strengths.
• STORMING STAGE
• Assign Tasks.
• Finalize Goals.
• Giving Feedbacks.
• Resolving Conflicts.
• Setup Guidelines
• Tools used DeBono’s -The Six Thinking Hats
technique
(De Bono, 2017)
• NORMING AND PERFORMING STAGE
• Providing Appraisals
• New Rules and guidelines
• Increasing power of thinking
• Change Teams Perspective (if required)
• Produce Outcomes
• Tool- Using example of Organizational Zoo.
(Scott-Young, 2018), (Furst et al. 2004, p.6)
Copeland, B & Wida, K, 1996, ‘Resolving Team Conflict Coaching Strategies to Prevent Negative Behavior’, Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, vol. 67, no. 4, pp. 52-
54.
De Bono, E. 2017, Six thinking hats, Penguin, UK.
Furst, S, Reeves, M, Rosen, B & Blackburn, R 2004, ‘Managing the Life Cycle of Virtual Teams’, The Academy of Management Executive, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 6-20.
Myatt, M February 2012, ‘5 Keys of Dealing with Workplace Conflict’, Forbes, viewed 9th September 2018, <[Link]
dealing-with-workplace-conflict/#192145aa1e95>
Mitlacher, L.W. 2012, ‘Appraisal and rewards systems for virtual project management teams and the challenges for human resource management’, Int. J. Networking and Virtual
Organisations, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp.153–168, viewed 3 September 2018, <[Link]
Scott-Young, C. 2018, ‘Groups and Teams’, PowerPoint slides, BUSM1271, Rmit University, viewed 6 September 2018,
<[Link]
Scott-young, C.2018, ‘Managing project teams’,powerpoint slides, BUSM1271, RMIT University, viewed 10 September 2018,
<[Link] >
Tekleab, A & Quingley, N, 2014, ‘Teamdeep-level diversity, relationship conflict, and team members'
affective reactions: A cross-level investigation’, Journal of Business Research, vol.67, no. 3, viewed 15 September 2018,
[Link]
Tuckman, B, 1965, ‘Developmental Sequence in Small Groups’, Psychological Development, vol. 63, no. 6, pp. 384-399.
Verma, V. K. 1998, Conflict Management. In J. Pinto (Ed.), The Project Management Institute: Project Management Handbook, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.
Reference type Number
Peer-reviewed journal article 6
Academic book 1
Lecture Slides 2
Magazine Article 1
Other: state what they are n/a
Total 10
