Organizational Management

Virtual teams are increasingly common in our interconnected global workplace.

For this assignment you will propose the most effective way to structure a virtual team to meet the goals of 1) team member satisfaction and growth and 2) producing a result that achieves the team’s work objectives as it relates to differentiation and integration.

Please provide a 3 page analysis on how the two questions can be answered in regards to differentiation and integration. It should address how differentiation and integration impact organizations when attempting to implement and sustain a diverse culture and international team structure that unites, encourages, and aligns with the organization’s goals?

Differentiation – occurs in large companies when different departments, sections or branch offices create their own corporate culture within the parent company’s overall structure. For instance, the sales staff at a differentiated company will have a different approach to their tasks than the accounting department. Companies also can be differentiated based on product lines. A highly-differentiated brewery will have sections that brew pilseners, lagers and ales, each with its own production, accounting and marketing operations, while operating under the same corporate umbrella.

Integration – relates to how the different areas of the company coordinate their operations. A highly-integrated company has strong connections between departments and product lines, with each section working under a cohesive set of rules and strategies. Integrated companies are highly vertical and hierarchical in nature. These companies operate from a “top-down” mindset, where the management dictates the structure of each department rather than allowing the individual departments to set their own agendas.