Advantages and Disadvantages of Virtual Teams Global management is slowly changing from the industrial era to the contemporary era. Differences in organizational management have been significantly influenced by technological advances and changes in social and economic factors. In the industrial age, most organizations were run by hierarchical structures that had gaps between managers and employees. Management dictated most activities and employees had little involvement in decision making. Role specialization and division of responsibilities were among the common trends in hierarchical organizational structures and this prevented employees from taking part in organizational activities. However, these practices have gradually changed, especially with the advancement of information technology. The availability of the Internet, intranets, and other communication capabilities has allowed organizations to incorporate employees and other stakeholders into their management (Kimball 2000). Furthermore, advancements in information technology have made it possible for organizations to shift from industrial practices to contemporary management that involves the development and management of virtual teams. Virtual teams in an organization can be defined as a collection of individuals working together, mostly in different geographical areas. isolated regions with independent space, time and boundaries, but with a common goal under organizational goals (Lipnack & Stamps 1997). Individuals selected to participate in virtual objectives rely on information and communication technologies to enhance integration and cohesion. Virtual teams are created with a common purpose and may not necessarily have the use of paper, organizations can adequately manage information flow, task sharing and promote business growth. Works Cited Blaise, J.B., Erich, B.B. & Phillip, W.B. 2008, 'The nature of virtual teams: a summary of their advantages and disadvantages', Management Research News vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 99 –110.Kimball, L 2000, Intranet Decisions: Building Your Organization's Internal Network, Miles River Press, Alexandria, VA.Kimble, CL & Barlow, A 2000, Effective Virtual Teams Through Communities of Practice, University of Strathclyde Press, Glasgow.Lipnack, J & Stamps, J 1997, Virtual teams. John Wiley and Sons, New York.Norton, B & Smith, C 1997, Understanding the Virtual Organization, Hauppauge, New York.Oravec, JA 2000, Virtual Individuals, Virtual Groups: Human Dimensions of Groupware and Computer Networks, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, MA.