The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the growing body of research into virtual teams by using empirical data to validate existing theory. It analyses a project in the travel and tourism industry to determine the key elements that contributed to a successful outcome.
An ethnographic approach is used in this case of a multi‐national, multi‐organisational virtual project tasked with market validation of an ontology management system. Participant observation is supported by a range of primary and secondary data.
The importance of key factors changes over the time of the project. The early emphasis on constructs relating to technology and purpose moves towards those related to people as the project matured. The caretaker/gatekeeper role of the project leader made a significant contribution to overcoming problems of complexity. A lack of commitment to a range of information technologies heightened the reliance on periodic face‐to‐face meetings to support team interactions.
Cultural diversity is common in the travel sector and related issues may play a more significant role in other industries. Further research is needed to fully assess the impact of context on virtual team outcomes.
Recommendations for practitioners include the need to establish a framework of rules and identify training needs. A socialising period, virtual or face‐to‐face, is an essential requirement for successful virtual teamwork.
A conceptual framework, drawn from previous studies, adds clarity to the importance and relevance of the constructs of people, purpose and technology in virtual teamwork.
