Managing individual and organizational challenges with respect to diversity perceptions and social capital among members of virtual teams

Abstract

Diversity encompasses complex differences and similarities in perspectives, identities, and points of view among members of an institution as well as among individuals who make up the wider community. Diversity includes important and interrelated dimensions of human identity such as race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and newlineexpression, socio-economic status, nationality, citizenship, religion, newlinesexual orientation, ability and age. These differences are important to understand but they cannot be used to predict any individual s values, choices or responses. Organizations with diverse employees are better suited to serve diverse external customers in an increasingly global market. Such organizations have a better understanding of the requirements of the legal, political, social, economic, and cultural environments. Organizations that manage diversity are recipients of more commitment, and better satisfied as well newlineas better performing employees (Patrick and Kumar,2012). newlineEnsuring better social relations among team members has become complex. The nature of teams is not how they used to be, organizations have spread across geographically which has led to the birth of virtual teams. Virtual team members are been separated by time and space this makes it even more difficult to ensure that social capital is being maintained among virtual team members, as only when there is a trust, newlinereciprocity and cooperation among virtual team members they will be better connected individuals who obtain greater advantages, this ensures that groups and organizations improve performance and obtain sustainable competitive advantage (Tsai and Ghoshal, 1998). newlineThe present investigation was focused on understanding the perception of members of virtual teams towards diversity at workplace. newlineThis study newlineassists us to find out how virtual team members can overcome Individual newlineand Organizational Challenges towards diversity and to find out the social newlinerelations among virtual team members, how much trust exists among them.