The Role of Project Manager and Team Member Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

199 Pages·2004·0.54 MB·English

The Role of Project Manager and Team Member
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) in Distinguishing
Virtual Project Team Performance Outcomes

By Velvet Weems-Landingham

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
2004

Dissertation Advisor: Dr. David Kolb

Department of Organizational Behavior
CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERITY

May 2004
CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES

We hereby approve the dissertation of

______________________________________________________

candidate for the Ph.D. degree *.

(signed)_______________________________________________
(chair of the committee)

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

(date) _______________________

*We also certify that written approval has been obtained for any
proprietary material contained therein.
Copyright © by Velvet Weems-Landingham
All rights reserved
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DEDICATION

This is dedicated to my mother, Gladys Weems, father, Robert Weems and sister,
Daphne Weems-Reid. Thanks for being with me each step along the way.

I thank God for each moment we have shared together!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SIGN-OFF PAGE........................................................................................................ii
COPYRIGHT.............................................................................................................iii
DEDICATION............................................................................................................iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................1
LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................................3
LIST OF FIGURES.....................................................................................................4
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.........................................................................................5
ABSTRACT................................................................................................................8
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION..............................................................................10
Definition of Key Terms........................................................................................14
Empirical Studies on Virtual Project Team Effectiveness....................................17
The Present Study..................................................................................................19
Significance of the Study.......................................................................................20
Research Questions................................................................................................23
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW...................................................................25
Virtual Project Teams............................................................................................25
Virtual Project Team Definition........................................................................25
Virtual Project Team Typology.........................................................................27
Virtual Project Team Performance Outcomes...................................................31
Virtual Project Team Consistency.....................................................................34
KSA Requirements for Collocated Teamwork......................................................46
A Structure Review of Virtual Teamwork Literature............................................49
Proposed KSA Requirements for Successful Virtual Teamwork..........................63
CHAPTER 3: METHODS.........................................................................................67
Research Setting....................................................................................................68
Organization Background..................................................................................68
Sample Group....................................................................................................69
Virtual Teams....................................................................................................72
Participants........................................................................................................74
Research Design....................................................................................................76
Data Collection......................................................................................................78
Semi-Structured Interviews...............................................................................78
Code Development Procedures..............................................................................80
Coding Scheme..................................................................................................82
Proposed Virtual Teamwork KSAs.......................................................................90
Project Manager KSAs......................................................................................91
Proposed Team Member KSAs.........................................................................98
Data Analysis.......................................................................................................100
Phase I: Aspects of Performance.....................................................................100
Phase II: Team Member KSAs........................................................................101
Phase III: Predictors of Outcome.....................................................................101
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS.......................................................................................102
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RQ1a: Virtual Project Manager Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)
Distinguishing Performance Outcomes...............................................................103
RQ1b: Virtual Team Member Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)
Distinguishing Performance Outcomes...............................................................108
RQ2: Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) as Outcome Predictors..............110
CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION..................................................................................117
Summary of Findings..........................................................................................118
Study Findings as They Relate to Proposed Virtual Teamwork KSAs...............123
Absence of Positive Team Member Behaviors within Successful Virtual Teams
.............................................................................................................................125
Project Manager and Team Member KSAs Required for Successful Virtual
Teamwork............................................................................................................126
Collaborative Problem Solving........................................................................127
Communications..............................................................................................133
Goal Setting & Performance Management......................................................139
Planning & Task Coordination........................................................................143
Processes Associated with Successful Virtual Teamwork..................................146
Virtual Teamwork Distinguisher.........................................................................152
Limitations of the study.......................................................................................160
Future Research Directions..................................................................................162
APPENDIX..............................................................................................................165
Appendix A: Proposed Skills Associated with Effective Virtual Teaming.........165
Appendix B: Codebook.......................................................................................168
Appendix C: Interview Script.............................................................................174
Appendix D: Aspects of Performance Differentiating Virtual Team Performance
Outcomes.............................................................................................................177
Appendix E: Proposed versus Actual Project Manager and Team Member KSAs
Required for Virtual Teamwork..........................................................................178
BIBLIOGRAPHY....................................................................................................180
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LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.2: Five Styles of Trust..................................................................................37
Table 2.3: Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required for Collocated Teamwork.....47
Table 3.1: E-Learn Virtual Team Membership.........................................................70
Table 3.3: Virtual Team Typology............................................................................73
Table 3.2: North American Participants, Virtual Location, Gender, and Job
Classification.............................................................................................................76
Table 3.4: Proposed Project Manager KSAs.............................................................91
Table 3.5: Proposed Team Member KSAs................................................................99
Table 4.1.1: Descriptive Statistics for the Project Manager Sample and Sub-samples
and Mann-Whitney Ua Comparison between Effective and Ineffective Virtual Project
Teams.......................................................................................................................104
Table 4.1.1: Descriptive Statistics for the Team Member Sample and Sub-samples
and Mann-Whitney Ua Comparison between Effective and Ineffective Virtual Project
Teams.......................................................................................................................108
Table 4.2: List of Significant Project Manager and Team Member KSAs.............112
Table 4.3: Results of Stepwise Discriminate Function Analysis of Significant Project
Manager and Team Member KSAs Comparing Effective and Ineffective Virtual
Project Team Performance......................................................................................113
Table 4.4: Results of Classification of Group Membership from Selected KSAs of
Effective and Ineffective Virtual Project Team Performance.................................115
Table 5.4: Discriminating Virtual Teamwork Knowledge, Skills and Abilities.....152

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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1: Conceptual Frame of Effective Group Performance...............................31
Figure 2.2: A Model of Group Task Effectiveness....................................................41
Figure: 3.1: Codebook Development Process...........................................................81
Figure 3.2: Coding Table...........................................................................................83

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you Lord for giving me the strength to preserve. I thank you most of
all for providing a trusted advisor and teacher, Dr. David Kolb, to guide in my
dissertation process.
Dr. David Kolb, my advisor, thank you for the many ways you have
supported me: the words on encouragement during times when I have faltered; the
slightest of comments with the great impact; the time to listen, discuss, and read.
Your kind face and smile which makes me feel at home and helps me understand that
nothing, including dissertation, is insurmountable.
Dr. Vanessa Druskat you are my role model. I love the energy and
enthusiasm which you bring to the process of inquiry. Thanks for always offering an
ear … a suggestion … an example. All those things which have helped me move.
Dr. David Cooperrider you are my optimist. You have been there for me in
times of strife and turmoil always helping me visualize the positive and the
possibility. You have saved my more times than you could know.
Dr. Julie Rennecker you are not only my content expert but a guide and role
model as well. Your spirit is exhilarating and your dedication to research and the
mentoring of your students often unfound.
Dr. Poppy McLeod thank you for being you and always being there for me!
Dr. Richard Boyatzis thank you for your consistent show of leadership,
support and guidance.
Dr. Jaye (Goosby) Smith thank you for being my friend. Thanks for the
countless hours of advice and wisdom beyond your years.
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Sable Landingham, my daughter, you are the love of my life, my sunshine
and my joy. I thank you for the laughter and smiles in times of strife. Thank you for
showing me how to love unconditionally.
To my son … soon to arrive, I look forward to your birth and the many days
of joy we will share together.
To my husband, Carlton Landingham: thanks for keeping me on task. It is
because of you that I truly understand just how much I really want this. Thanks for
your patients and support.
I thank God for you everyday, Talonzo & DaVaughn, my life would be
nothing without you! Love your Auntie.
Dad, we have survived many tragedies, you and I. Still we are together. And,
I am eternally grateful for YOU. For the countless times and ways you have
supported. For the guidance and support you freely give to those you love. I couldn’t
ask for a better father!
Dianca Blackwell, at one time my student and now my trusted friend. Thanks
for always thinking of me, always staying in touch, always coming to my aid. Only
you would agree to spend your evenings and weekends coding data for my
dissertation. Undying gratitude for you and all the things you do!
Darryl McCrary. As I finish my dissertation journey … you begin your own.
Thanks for the many hours you have listened intently to my woes. Thanks for the
many times you have encouraged and helped me to move forward.
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