{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,23]],"date-time":"2026-02-23T18:46:43Z","timestamp":1771872403333,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2006,10,1]],"date-time":"2006-10-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1159660800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2006,10,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of process improvement team member perceptions regarding the effectiveness of asynchronous e\u2010collaboration.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>A field\u2010based, two\u2010phase canonical action research study was conducted at two different sites. Data were obtained from observations and interviews of all team members. Media synchronicity theory was utilized to hypothesize the interplay of media capabilities, task communication processes, and team functions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>Eight primarily virtual teams solved complex problems and provided feedback on the effectiveness of various communications media. The results support media synchronicity theory.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>Media synchronicity theory provides an alternative explanation for studies both supporting and contradicting media richness theory. The teams in this study were newly formed. Further investigation of established teams and other contexts is warranted.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>For complex problem\u2010solving tasks performed by newly formed teams, communications media with low synchronicity (e.g. listserv, e\u2010mail, bulletin board) may be appropriate for conveyance of information; whereas media with high synchronicity (e.g. face\u2010to\u2010face, telephone) may be more desirable for convergence on shared meaning.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>As geographic, temporal, and cost constraints move organizations toward virtual team work for increasingly complex tasks, research is warranted on effective utilization of available communication technology for solving business problems without face\u2010to\u2010face communication. This research paper examines the issue through an emerging theoretical lens, media synchronicity theory, and suggests a new proposition.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/09593840610718027","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2007,1,15]],"date-time":"2007-01-15T12:50:24Z","timestamp":1168865424000},"page":"323-344","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":54,"title":["Virtual teams in and out of synchronicity"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"19","author":[{"given":"Dorrie","family":"DeLuca","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Joseph S.","family":"Valacich","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2022021620212136200_b1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Baskerville, R. and Myers, M.D. (2004), \u201cMaking IS research relevant to practice \u2013 foreword\u201d, MISQ, Vol. 28 No. 3, Special Issue on Action Research in Information Systems, pp. 329\u201035.","DOI":"10.2307\/25148642"},{"key":"key2022021620212136200_b2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Baskerville, R. and Wood\u2010Harper, A.T. 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