Becoming Virtual (eBook)

Preface 6
Contents 7
Contributors 9
Abbreviations 11
Introduction 12
References 18
Part 1 Envisioning and Planning for Virtualization 20
1 Aligning Goals, Virtuality and Capability: A Virtual Alignment Model 21
1.1 Introduction 21
1.2 Vision and Goals 21
1.3 State of Virtuality 23
1.4 Capabilities 25
1.5 The Virtual Alignment Model (VAM) 27
References 30
2 Envisioning and Monitoring the Process of Becoming Virtual 32
2.1 Introduction 32
2.2 Envisioning the Virtual Organization 32
2.3 From Vision to Goals, Capabilities and Indicators 35
2.4 Goals for Virtualization 36
2.5 Current Level of Virtuality 37
2.6 Capabilities for Being Virtual 40
2.7 The Research Project 41
Reference 43
3 The Challenge of Becoming Virtual 44
3.1 Introduction 44
3.2 The Organization 45
3.3 Market 48
3.4 Unit 2 Staff and the GNO 50
3.5 Strategic Challenges for the Coming Year 51
3.6 Information Technology 52
3.7 Possible Solutions 58
3.8 Toward Virtualization: Baseline Measurements 60
Part 2 New Insights into Knowledge Management and Virtualization 62
4 Social Uncertainty in Virtual Organizations: A Preliminary Ontology of the Constituent Elements 63
4.1 Introduction 63
4.2 Background 64
4.3 Theory Development 67
4.4 The Formula for Social Uncertainty 71
4.5 Social Uncertainty in Unit 2 72
4.6 Conclusion 77
References 78
5 When Communities of Practice Fail: Community Ties and Organizational Commitment 80
5.1 Communities of Practice 80
5.2 Research Approach 82
5.3 Results 86
5.4 Discussion 90
5.5 Future Research 92
References 93
6 An Exploratory Survey of the Structure and Components of Organizational Memory 95
6.1 Introduction 95
6.2 Background 96
6.3 Researching Organizational Memory 98
6.4 The Investigation 99
6.5 Results 100
6.6 Discussion 108
6.7 Conclusion 114
References 115
7 The Organization as a Transactive Memory System 117
7.1 Introduction 117
7.2 Background 117
7.3 Uncovering and Evaluating TMS 120
7.4 The Nature of the Organizational TMS 122
7.5 Quantitative Evaluation of the TMS 130
7.6 Implications for IS to Support TMS 130
7.7 Conclusion 136
References 138
8 Adoption of Technologies for Virtual Work 140
8.1 Introduction 140
8.2 Technologies for the Virtual Organization in Unit 2 141
8.3 Method 142
8.4 User Response 142
8.5 Discussion and Conclusion 154
References 154
9 Monitoring, Control and the Performance of Virtual Work 155
9.1 Introduction 155
9.2 Background 156
9.3 Research Approach 159
9.4 External Control of Virtual Knowledge Workers 160
9.5 Internal Control of Virtual Knowledge Workers 162
9.6 The Role of Technology in Controlling Virtual Knowledge Workers 167
9.7 Conclusion 169
References 170
Part 3 Understanding Virtualization 172
10 The Challenge of Becoming Virtual, Part 2 173
10.1 Introduction 173
10.2 Efforts to Build the Virtual Organization 173
10.3 Progress Toward Being Virtual 176
10.4 Subsequent Activities 178
10.5 One More Survey 179
11 Reflections from the Frontline: The Journey of a Knowledge Manager 182
11.1 Introduction 182
11.2 Infatuated by the Idea of Virtual Collaboration 182
11.3 The Notion of Virtualization 184
11.4 Beginning to Grasp the Complexity 185
11.5 All the Way Virtual – or a Two-Tier Strategy? 185
11.6 Light at the End of the Tunnel 191
11.7 Preparing for the Future: Lessons for Knowledge Managers 194
11.8 Conclusion 196
References 197
12 The Forensics of a Challenged Initiative 198
12.1 Introduction 198
12.2 An Overview of the Outcomes 198
12.3 Method 200
12.4 The Critical Success Factors 201
12.5 Conclusion 214
References 214
13 Tools and Capabilities for Becoming Virtual 215
13.1 Introduction 215
13.2 Virtualization and Knowledge Work 215
13.3 Capabilities for Virtualization 217
13.4 Envisioning and Monitoring Virtuality 221
13.5 Conclusion 224
Appendix 1: Virtuality Indicators 226
Appendix 2: Baseline Virtuality at Unit 2 233
Appendix 3: Virtuality After One Year 238
Appendix 4: Capability Indicators 242
Appendix 5: Baseline Capabilities for Virtualization 246
Appendix 6: Capabilities After One Year 250
Appendix 7: Exercises for an Envisioning Workshop 254
Appendix 8: Questions for Exploring TMS 259
Appendix 9: Measuring ICT Value and Accessibility 261
Appendix 10: TPC Network Infrastructure 263