Lipnack & Stamps (1999) conducted a study in which they examined the emergence of virtual teams as a new modality for working. The study was carried out on the premise that the emergence of the Information Age has contributed to the advent of a working culture where people must no longer be in the same location in order to work together. The Information Age is characterized by the development and increased use of interactive technologies, which have contributed to the emergence of virtual teams. Through the interactive technologies, the virtual teams provide a framework through which people work across organizations, time, space, and boundaries. The study focused on examining and determining the factors that contribute to the effectiveness and success of virtual teams as new models for working in the 21st Century organizations and business environment.

Research Problem

The research problem in this study is the factors or basic principles that contribute to the success of virtual teams, which have become common in today's business environment. Lipnack & Stamps (1999) sought to address this issue on the premise that the changes in the 21st Century organizations have contributed to the emergence and rapid growth of these teams and network of teams in the working environment. While the authors recognize the increased prevalence of virtual teams, they also note that its important to establish the basic principles that... Earnhardt (2009) conducted a study to determine the key factors that contribute to the success and failure of virtual teams. The researcher found that the key enabling factors in success of these new models of working are clarification of objectives, technology, and team formation. Clarifying objectives relates to determine the purpose of the team and communicating it to team members. This helps in ensuring that every team member engages in activities that enhance the achievement of the desired objectives. Earnhardt (2009) seemingly concurs with Lipnack & Stamps (1999) on the premise that purpose is a crucial factor towards ensuring the success of virtual teams because it's the glue that holds people together. Technology involves the use of appropriate technological strategies and tools towards accomplishing the various activities and tasks. This finding concurs with Lipnack & Stamps (1999) on the premise that appropriate communication technologies are crucial for establishing connections within the team. Team formulation is an important factor…