Volume2, Issue11, Nov 2024 International Journal of Modern Science and Research

Technology
ISSN No- 2584-2706

Managing Project Teams: Case Study Report

Critical and Comparative Analysis
Glory Ejime Ikeke
University of Northampton
Project Management
Abstract
The shift from traditional to virtual project we saw it presents its own set of challenges
teams has transformed the landscape of (Binder, 2016). There is the conventional
project management, driven by project team which comprises people who
advancements in technology and are grouped together in the physical space of
globalization. This study critically examines an organization or in the same company and
the dynamics of managing traditional and who consequently, have a similar
virtual project teams through the lens of two understanding of the nature of a project,
case studies: the Burj Khalifa Tower project, responsibilities, objectives and deliverables
managed by a traditional project team, and (Webster & Wong, 2008). On the other hand,
DigiCo's FLEC project, led by a virtual virtual project team can be defined as the
team. The findings highlight the distinct ones that are located in different
challenges of each management approach, geographical locations, and are working in
including communication barriers, resource different time zones and differenocalypse
allocation complexities, and trust-building cultures and mostly use electronic
issues. For virtual teams, technological communication (Morrison-Smith and Ruiz,
proficiency, cultural intelligence, and 2020). These are teams that are
adaptability emerged as critical characterized by the technological
competencies, while traditional teams dependence, and/or problems of
benefitted from physical proximity and coordinating work among people who are
structured resource coordination. The report geographically apart (Webster and Wong,
underscores the necessity for project 2008).
managers to adapt their skillets to meet the This report assumes two case studies one
demands of virtual project management, being the Burj Khalifa Tower project for
emphasizing the importance of trust, team conventional project team and the other one
cohesion, and effective use of digital tools. being the DigiCo’s FLEC project for virtual
By drawing comparisons between these project team. As for the Burj Khalifa Tower
operational contexts, this study offers project, a conventional project team, mainly
practical insights for enhancing leadership consisting of various professionals and
strategies in diverse project environments. workers, was employed, which physically
collaborated at the project site and directly
1. Introduction communicated there to implement the
Due to improved technology in the project (Abraham, 2019). Let’s look at the
workplace, the dynamics of the workplace example of how virtual teams work at the
have been changed, and this has called for DigiCo with their FLEC project. It again has
change in managing project teams form a cross-geographically distributed group,
traditional project teams to virtual project who communicate and work predominantly
teams and managing virtual project teams as in the online space; thus, this project best

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 Volume2, Issue11, Nov 2024 International Journal of Modern Science and Research
Technology
ISSN No- 2584-2706
illustrates the dynamics of and problems the stakeholders and contractors (Abraham,
related to the management of virtual teams 2019). That is, the organization faced
(Panteli, 2017). challenges of working with employees
whose first language was not English since
This paper looks at the various difficulties the project involved cross-border
that project managers experience employees.
specifically when managing the two kinds of
teams to offer a snapshot of the key It is definitely surprising that despite the fact
comparative assessment of these two styles that communication is an essential
of teams and examines the competencies component of project management, project
involved in virtual project teams as opposed managers mention communication as the
to traditional project teams. most serious difficulty they encounter when
managing a project, whether it implies
2. A Critical and Comparative Analysis leading a technical or an operational team
of the Project Cases (Daim et al., 2012). Whereas in a traditional
Handling a normal project team or a virtual project environment, particular details may
project team is always accompanied by its get omitted or even change due to language,
own usual difficulties that it brings out less communication, or other form of
efficiency of the team and in extension misunderstanding. For virtual teams, the
impacts the output of the project(Binder, challenges are more severe since the
2016).With these discussed project cases, members are hailing from different
now it is high time to pay the attention on geographical locations and they have to rely
the given challenges that Project Managers on technology to communicate, might often
encounter while leading these teams. end up misunderstandings and delays (Hoch
and Kozlowski 2014).
Effective communication
As a way of supporting these challenges, Resource Allocation and Task
real-life examples will be illustrated using Coordination
DigiCo’S case FLEC project and Burj The challenges that the DigiCo FLEC has
Khalifa Tower project. The FLEC project at faced while integrating a system, which
DigiCo also experienced communication requires multi-task coordination across time
challenges because of time zones differences zones, dealing with local holidays and
in the employees’ culture, and language working time differences (Panteli, 2018).
barriers. One of the main challenges for the Subsequently the Burj Khalifa project had
FLEC project was that there were no timely well defined resource distribution and task
communication protocols in place. integration since most of the teams were
Employees were missing work files and not located physically together and relied on
receiving them on time, emails also were not traditional project management tools and
being replied to thus affecting both work techniques (Abraham, 2019).One of the
productivity and working interpersonal main challenges of virtual project
relationships. In the project especially management was resource management
technology means where used to enhance (Niaziet al., 2016). It is always advisable
the means of communication (Bosch- that within any activity planning and
Sijtsemaand Sivunen, 2013). While on the distribution of activities and other
Burj Khalifa project, the activities were requirements is properly done (Gido &
more unified hence provided a common Clements, 2014). Still, it gets a bit
ground for interaction of the team members, challenging, especially when clustered into a

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 Volume2, Issue11, Nov 2024 International Journal of Modern Science and Research
Technology
ISSN No- 2584-2706
group, working on assembling different there is significant correlation between
skills, or organizing work across different knowledge sharing and collaboration and
time zones for virtual teams (as cited in trust in virtual teams.
Daim et al., 2012).
Monitoring and Control
Another application in team dynamics Both project teams needed project
and particularly in building trust. monitoring and control. DigiCo FLEC
In our DigiCo FLEC project, we were project utilized online tools in the project
starting to notice that the distributed team management to ensure on the site tracking of
was struggling to gel and form the sort of the work progress and responsibility
camaraderie needed to propel the team assignment (Panteli, 2018) whereas Burj
forward and keep it together for the sake of Khalifa project enlisted on-site team for
the project. Which can all be attributed to regular follow up and detailed control efforts
low levels of trust within the project team based on construction work progress
(Panteli, 2018). The Burj Khalifa project (Abraham, 2019).
which was established in a conventional
Of all the task-related areas of managing a
environment also experienced some
project team, monitoring and control are
problems in the management of team
considered to be the most problematic. As
dynamics as a result of its large size and use
previously described, monitoring and
of foreign workers. There are some
control is another important aspect of team
strategies such as the followings – Strong
working that has to be defined and
leadership, the implementation of the on-site
maintained by project managers no matter
team-building activities, and proper
what type of teams they are dealing with.
communication were priority due to the
Even though these processes are relatively
reasons of building up trusts and
easier in the context of real teams because of
collaboration (Abraham, 2019).
the physical interaction only the fruition of
Another challenge of project management such processes is relatively difficult in the
also include handling of teams and context of virtual teams because of the
establishing trust within the team and dispersion of team members and the
between the members of the actual virtual asynchronous nature of their works (Hoch &
and conventional project groups (Larsonand Kozlowski, 2014).
Gray, 2014). It is true that the traditional
teams offer opportunities for building 3. Virtual team management, needed
rapport and trust since the neighbours can people management skills and
meet each other face to face, as pointed out competencies
by Gera (2013). However, personalities In the increasing digital economy project
differ and teams create contests of interest; managers have to develop the competencies
this makes the performance of the team in order to manage virtual teams. Relative to
poor. The construction of trust in virtual the nature of virtual project teams and the
teams is quite difficult because there is no difficulties inherent in leading such teams in
opportunity to meet and recognize each contrast to conventional teams, specific
other as team members and many people skills and competencies have been defined
may have difficulties experiencing the as essential for achieving satisfactory virtual
feeling of connectedness (Gilson et al., team performance.
2015). In a study for Alsharo, Gregg and
Ramirez (2017), the authors revealed that

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 Volume2, Issue11, Nov 2024 International Journal of Modern Science and Research
Technology
ISSN No- 2584-2706
Effective communication Skills fostering communication transparency,
A project manager needs to be a good offering feedback, reward and appreciation
communicator Project managers need strong of the team members’ effort and
communication skills. They need to be able understanding and fairness in dealing with
to convey ideas without ambiguity by giving the members (Gilson et al. 2015).
instructions or relaying information that Proprietary communication can ensure that
must be understood and acted upon by all people living in different geographical
members of the team As such there should locations, and from different cultural
be a free and open communication (Hoch backgrounds, do not feel isolated but are
and Kozlowski, 2014). Similar to the FLEC rather connected to the rest of the team.
project, virtual project teams are always Crisp and Jarvenpaa (2013) state that
formed of members from different time frequent communication, positive feedback
zones whereby the project manager has to be and feedback with timely feedbacks are
articulate in the virtual environment to some of the components of openness.
prevent misunderstanding the intended Kirkman et al (2002) postulated that when
messages (Panteli, 2018). This involves providing feedback it must be constructive
sharing of information without ambiguity, at and timely.
appropriate intervals and in a form
understood by everyone. Adaptability and Flexibility
Virtual project managers should possess the
Cultural Intelligence nature of how to manage situations as it
Culture is defined as Cultural Intelligence changes regarding the requirement of the
which is a theory that seeks to explain the team. I, 2024). This consist of working at
ability of a person to perform well where any time of choice in order to manage the
culture differences exist(Earley and different time zones, the willingness to
Mosakowski, 2004). It is a form of adopt new mode of working and
intelligence that is more than the cultural technological tools (Ebrahim et al., 2009).
understanding or even culture knowledge, This competence is unique convenient as
but more so the ability to learn and function virtual project management is a fluid
in the right manner among diverse culture process. For instance, availability of team
people. Similar to the DigiCoFLEC project members may vary due to different time
team, most virtual project teams create work zones, or there are always changes in the
from different cultural context that is why; project specifications, or alterations in tool
there is need for the project manager to have and technology used in the working
cultural sensitivity in order to recognize, environment. As such, virtual project
value and deal with cultural diversity within management calls for effective steering of
the virtual workspace. This is with a view to the project through changes of a project life
avoiding conflict and misunderstandings cycle to meet the intended goals (Panteli,
within the team and when working with 2018).
clients or stakeholders (Kimani and Scott,
2023). The next dimension of flexibility is
accepting change and new approaches
Trust Building and/or technologies in a virtual mode. With
Since virtual contact is not available, virtual increased technological development new
project managers need to build trust from innovations are being created whose
the other team members (Morrison-Smith, & particularity is to improve communication
Ruiz, 2020). This can be done through and coordination of virtual team members.

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 Volume2, Issue11, Nov 2024 International Journal of Modern Science and Research
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Besides, being an effective virtual project especially under trying circumstances (Gift
manager, he or she should also update O. D; Babatunde W. D. 2024)
himself or herself with these technologies
and capable to implement those technologies Competence in Technology
to enhance his or her team productivity Given the reliance of virtual teams on
(Ebrahim et al., 2009). This entails readiness technology for communication and
to work through the ‘bumps’ that accompany collaboration, a project manager leading a
aspects of novelty such as new technologies, virtual team should be skilled in using
in addition to facilitating other team technology and competent to troubleshoot
members through the bouncing phase. technical issues (Kirkman et al., 2004). This
will help to track progress, manage tasks,
Shared Leadership and ensure that deadlines are met (Panteli,
To compensate for some of the gaps 2018).Technology is vital for promoting
resulting from insufficient face-to-face collaboration and coordination in virtual
meetings, the shared leadership approach teams (Goh and Sandars2018).
can be adopted. Shared leadership is a
collaborative leadership approach that 4. Conclusion
increases the efficiency of the team's The report shows that while the core people
planning and organizing processes (Choi, management skills required to lead both
Kim and Kang, 2017).Shared team traditional and virtual project teams overlap
leadership is thought to improve in many areas, the context in which they are
relationships between team members, foster applied differs. Both types of project teams
commitment and cohesion, and lessen the require effective communication, task
drawbacks of virtual teams(Hoch and coordination, team dynamics management,
Kozlowski, 2014).To increase overall team shared leadership, team building, emotional
effectiveness, managers are advised to work intelligenceand project monitoring and
together with team members more closely control. However, the virtual environment
and to pay extra attention to the manner in significantly exacerbates these challenges
which the leader's actions and the team's and requires additional competencies such
final results line up (Oluwasanmi S.A. as technological proficiency and cultural
2024). intelligence. Comparing the Burj Khalifa
Tower project and DigiCo's FLEC project, it
Team Building was revealed that the unique challenges each
Members of virtual teams could feel alone team faced was due to their operational
or alienated from the group. The motivation context. The DigiCo team, operating
and engagement of team members should be virtually, had to grapple with differences in
encouraged by project managers through time zones, language barriers, and trust
praise, online team-building exercises, and building issues due to lack of physical
the development of a supportive interaction, while the Burj Khalifa project
environment(Dyer Jr and Dyer,2013). had to manage language barriers, team
dynamics, and logistical challenges despite
Emotional Intelligence the benefit of physical proximity.
The emotional intelligence of a project
manager is key to the successful operation The findings suggest that leading a virtual
of an online team (Mersino,2013).Project project team requires a shift from traditional
managers can encourage team members and project management techniques. Project
foster a more compassionate workplace by managers need to demonstrate technological
being aware of their feelings and opinions, savvy, an ability to build trust without

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