Human Resource Management in Virtual Organizations Essay

As we move into the 21st century, a number of innovations that were at one time merely ideas are now becoming reality. One of these is the practical(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) physical composition, where organisational members are geographically separated, but work together through information processing system technology. To date, such(prenominal) of the research and thought on realistic organizations has centered upon practical(prenominal) technology and organizational design-how to link the individual members and how to design the practical(prenominal) organization to carry out its work. This book takes this further in addressing the crucial examination, how do you do human resource (HR) functions in the virtual organization? This question is particularly relevant when you consider that most conventional HR functions-hiring, training, evaluating performance, and reward (or disciplining) performance-assume thither will be face-to-face interaction as the arse for carrying out that function.This book examines human resource counseling (HRM) in the virtual organizational in 14 chapters written by sundry(a) authors and compiled into quaternion parts. objet dart I as the introduction contains two chapters. Greenberger and Wang learn and separate the virtual organization in the first chapter. Then Crandall and Wallace nerve at the difference between traditional and virtual body of works in the second chapter. Part II examines HRM program delivery in three chapters. McClendon, Klaas, and Gainey look at HR outsourcing. Snell, Stueber, and Lepak examine HR departments, and Ulrich and Beatty get a line the role of the HR maestro in the virtual organization. Part III presents HRM programs in virtual organizations.Sk chapters bring up job analysis (DeCaprio), staffing (Elllingson & Wiethoff), training and development (Noe & Simmering), performance management (Cleveland, Mohammed, & Skattebo), cross reward systems (Heneman, Ta nsky, & Tomlinson), and negotiation (Lewicki & Dineen). Part IV contains two case studies delineating the problems and solutions to electronic commerce (e-commerce) banking in China by Wang, and cross-functional groups cyberlinked in an orthopaedic shaper written by Crandall and Wallace. Finally, Part V concludes with a chapter on observations by Cardy.Most of the authors are academicians. Thus, they have a natural tendency to describe virtual organizations in terms of conceptual models, evolvingconstructs, and theoretical foundations. To the authors credit, however, they make a concerted effort to use real virtual organizations (is that an oxymoron?) to illustrate their points, manage the Technology One Alliance among BankOne, AT&T, and IBM, the networks between Walmart and its vendors, Mercks virtual HR activities, and Lucents virtual product development team composed of 500 engineers operating everyplace 13 time zones. In the first chapter, Greenberger and Wang take on the la rge task of trying to define exactly what a virtual organization is. They review 25 definitions from various articles and conclude that a virtual organization has several characteristics.First, there is a partnering relationship among parties either within or outside the organization. Second, there is a focus on subject matter business activities that the virtual organization does well. new(prenominal) activities are done by more traditional organizations. Third, technology connects the partners with the core business activities. Fourth, the organizational structure is flexible and fluid. Fifth, there is a focus upon virtual teams working on projects. In Chapter 2, Crandall and Wallace define the virtual workplace as a network of people conducting business processes beyond the traditional bounds of organization, time, and space.They contrast the traditional with the virtual organization and find that virtual organizations emphasize self-managed teams, broad-based duties, cross-fun ctional skills, and a network orientation. One consequence is that the HR music director in a virtual organization takes on more differing roles than does the traditional HR manager. The virtual organization HR manager must be a coach delivering feedback to self-managed teams, an architect of work flows using computing machine technology, a designer and deliverer of innovative HR programs to fit the virtual organization, and a facilitator of teamwork in self-managed teams.The most interesting section is Part III on how to carry out HR functions within the virtual organization. The basic functions look the same as in the traditional organization, but the techniques are sometimes radically different. For example, in the virtual organization, electronic performance monitoring and online lambast sessions are job analysis methods. Recruitingoccurs through internet job boards. Hiring involves electronic resumes, online testing, and online interviewing. Training focuses upon electronic learning (e-learning) capability, communities of learning, and the use of learning portals. Performance management involves maintaining individual technological skill mixes and evaluating virtual team performance. Even correct systems need new forms because of the new types of work structures-virtual teams, alliances, and networks-and the changing perception of cook up equity within these structures.One theme that underlies many of the chapters is the importance of teams in the virtual organization. The self-managed team is one of the building blocks of these organizations. Team members must get or be trainable on traits conducive to operating in the virtual organization communication skills, cultural sensitivity, networking ability, tolerance for ambiguity, and interpersonal adaptability.Finally, virtual negotiation is unique. Negotiation in traditional organizations is face-to-face, but virtual negotiation occurs by and large through e-mail, which, on the one hand, has a grea t propensity for norms of pickings turns (e.g., waiting for an e-mail reply) but, on the other hand, there is a greater tendency for disinhibition, which may allow for rude and compulsive behavior, like flaming. Moreover, there is a greater tendency toward message misinterpretation in virtual negotiation e-mails that lack the nonverbal information richness of face-to-face interaction.As I read the chapters, it occurred to me that the authors make a very basic assumption, which is that the calculating machine technology linking everything together is reliable and secure. This is particularly relevant because the combination of attacks from viruses and worms that had move the nation in August, 2003, was still a very fresh entrepot as I read this book. To compound the problem, our university computer router went out at the same time. The consequence was very limited access to e-mail and the Internet as our fall semester began.It was a shock to see how much this negatively affected o ur teaching, research, and interaction with our colleagues. And this was within a traditional university structure. I interrogate how these onslaughts ofviruses, worms, hackers, and equipment breakdowns affect virtual organizations. In the traditional organization, there are sculptural relief communication systems to the computer, such as faxes, phone messages, and even walking over to someone and talking face-to-face. What is the alternative to the very centralized role of the computer if it malfunctions in the virtual organization?In conclusion, virtual organizations are much more than merely doing e-commerce through Web pages and gaining remote access to the caller-out computer. They involve partnerships, fluid and flexible boundaries, focused business processes, broad-based skill mixes, change teams, and complex connectivity to information networks. They run the gamut from loosely coupled telecommuting relationships to tangled cybernets. As the authors state, HR for virtual organizations will be one of the challenges approach business in the 21st century.Based upon what the various chapters describe, these virtual HR activities will probably still retain the traditional names, like recruiting, hiring, and training, but their actual forms will be as different as an SUV is to a Model T. So lets fasten our seat belts for a wild ride at Warp 4.5 into the virtual HRM reality of the virtual organization. But dont beam me up quite yet, Scotty.