Part 1: Defining Organizational Structure and Team Configurations

Requirements: This section of the paper should not exceed 4 pages, APA format, Microsoft Word.

First, critically reflect upon your personal and professional experiences in light of the course readings and discussions. Drawing upon and applying the course concept and using them to support your ideas, thoughtfully articulate your perspective on:

• Drawing upon your previous classes, how do you define and differentiate (if at all) the concepts of: Virtual Teams, Global Virtual Teams, Distributed Teams, and Collaborative Work Environments?
• Select either Option A or Option B for the subject of your paper:

Option A: Research a business or organization that uses collaboration in some way and briefly describe how they have organized, why they have organized in this manner, and the overall benefits and drawbacks. You may select an organization that you have worked within, one that you are familiar with, or research information that is publically available on a company/organization of interest to you. Provide a summary of the business, organization or team including how they utilize collaborative groups.

Option B: Research Sun Microsystems (Greg James at Sun Microsystems, Inc.) and briefly describe how they have organized, why they have organized in this manner, and the overall benefits and drawbacks.

Part 2: Case Study Analysis: Describing Team Behavior

Requirements: This section of the paper should not exceed 4 pages, APA format, Microsoft Word.

Drawing upon the readings and articles, describe how the following elements of team behavior have influenced your selected team/group (this will vary based on the group/organization that you selected):

• Social Categorization
• The Mutual Knowledge (problem)
• Trust
• Conflict

Part 3: Case Study Analysis: Team Configuration

Requirements: This section of the paper should not exceed 4 pages, APA format, Microsoft Word.

Drawing upon the readings and articles, describe how the following elements of team configuration have influenced the team (this will vary based on the group/organization that you selected):

• Distance
• Imbalance
• Demographic Alignment

Part 4: Case Study Analysis: Managerial Response and Looking Ahead

Requirements: This section of the paper should not exceed 2 pages, APA format, Microsoft Word.

Drawing upon the readings and articles, describe how the organization's management style and team affected

• Communications among the team
• Team identification
• What are the recommendations would you make to the team/group/organization to enhance their team collaboration and overall effectiveness?