This document discusses issues facing a virtual team working across borders between the UK and Canada. It identifies organizational issues like scattered reporting structures and personnel changes. Communication issues included a lack of communication between the UK and Canadian teams on creative works. Functional issues incorporated the failed national launch in Canada and tight schedule. It evaluates options like remaining centralized, decentralizing the Canadian team, or creating a virtual global team. It recommends decentralizing the Canadian team, having the Canadian team lead by Powell, and implementing the successful approach used by the Taiwanese team.

1. The
case
study

2. Introduction
Issues
Optio
ns
Recom
mendations
SUCCEED
FA
Should Carmichael maintain centralized
IL
control over the Canadian side of her team?
Working across borders in virtual teams | 03/07/2013 | N. S. Abeysekera, G. Fujimoto, C.

3. Organizational and process
issues
Issues
Optio
ns
Recom
mendations
• Scattered reporting structure : formal or
informal ?
• No equal footing between London and satellite
teams
• Numerous personnel changes in the Forever
Young team at a crucial time
Working across borders in virtual teams | 03/07/2013 | N. S. Abeysekera, G. Fujimoto, C.

4. Communication issues
Issues
Optio
ns
Recom
mendations
• Lack of communication on creative
works between London and Toronto teams
• Limited communication routes between
London HQ and the satellite teams
• No regular communication between the
Canadian and Tawainese teams
Working across borders in virtual teams | 03/07/2013 | N. S. Abeysekera, G. Fujimoto, C.

5. Functional issues
Issues
Optio
ns
Recom
mendations
• No coordinated budget for the Canadian team
• Failure of the first national launch in Canada
• Tight schedule till the launch of the product
Working across borders in virtual teams | 03/07/2013 | N. S. Abeysekera, G. Fujimoto, C.

6. Identification of 3 solutions
Issues
Remain
centralized
• London and Toronto members need to
re-build their relationships and remain
in the present strategy
Optio
ns
Decentralize
the team
• London and Toronto will perform as
individual groups
• The Canadian team leader should be
carefully selected
Recom
mendations
Create a virtual
global team
• HQ based in the US, but composed of
the original UK team members
Working across borders in virtual teams | 03/07/2013 | N. S. Abeysekera, G. Fujimoto, C.

7. Decentralize the Canadian team
Issues
Reasons
Optio
ns
Ideas
• The Canadian team knows the local market
better and has a creative idea
• Using the same approach as the Taiwan team
could be successful
• Few financial means and few time left
• Let Powell lead the Canadian team
• Hire temporary Tanya Yang from Taiwanese team
as a 6th member
• Do not postpone the global rollout
Recom
mendations
Working across borders in virtual teams | 03/07/2013 | N. S. Abeysekera, G. Fujimoto, C.

8. Execution plan
Re-kickoff Face-to-face
meeting
Issues
Frequent
videoconference
Optio
ns
LB’s Tara Powell
Team
Recom
mendations
OBC’s
team
Implementation of
Taiwanese success
and a creative idea
Tanya Yang
Alexis
Jacobs
Shirley
Watson
Copy
writer
Copy
writer
Global rollout
without delay and
budgets over
Working across borders in virtual teams | 03/07/2013 | N. S. Abeysekera, G. Fujimoto, C.

9. 1. ISSUES
• ISSUES in helicopter view
Organizational Issues
1. The responsibility of local offices only for local “below the line”
2. Issue of giving priority: members involving in several projects at
the same time
3. Lack of opportunity for the team members to involve in
creation activities
4. Formal Supervisor vs. Informal Supervisor
5. Numerous personnel changes in the Forever Young team

10. 1. ISSUES
• ISSUES in helicopter view
Communication Issues
1. No communication on creative works between U.K. team and
Toronto team, which is isolated
2. Communication Gap b/n Toronto LB team and U.K. teamexample explaining the 3 panel, folded piece
3. No direct reports to Carmichael from Davids and Lee (only from
Forin, Manning, and Jones)
4. No videoconference meetings between Toronto and U.K. team
5. Even though Carmichael had orchestrated frequent face-toface meetings, the communication had become more formal

11. 1. ISSUES
• ISSUES in helicopter view
Functional Issues
1. Failure of the national launch due to the discrepancy between
the pre-test launch test in British Columbia and national launch
2. Tight schedule till the launch
3. Strong competition among advertising agencies for OBC
4. Rapid growth of market the age of 50
5. First foray into premium priced skin care for OBC
6. The separation of OBC’s budget to Web site development
7. Over the estimated budget