Contributing to theory: independent, mediating, moderating, and dependent variables

Contributing to theory: Independent, mediating, moderating and dependent variables Introduction Research forms foundation into understanding underlying circumstances about occurrences. It achieves this by exploring relationships between variables to a situation with the aim of developing a contributing theory. This paper explores research articles on application of virtual teams and virtual tools to determine the articles’ contribution to theory with respect to applicability of virtual teams and virtual tools in an oil-producing environment.
The effects from technology-mediated interaction and openness in virtual team performance measures
The research article, as was published by Workman, sought to determine the impacts of virtual tools in interactions and openness on the performance of virtual teams. With globalized environments as the research target, the research population comprised of virtual teams that operate across international borders. Workman based his research on the theory that organizational teams operate in cultured approaches that organizes, coordinates, communicates, and monitors work. Its problem statement led to a number of research interests in null hypotheses such as that global virtual teams enhances performance and openness facilitates the level of such performance, and normative virtual teams performs better that pragmatic teams and the performance depends on the level of openness. Other hypotheses are that job based virtual teams register higher performance levels than employee-based teams and professional teams performs better than parochial teams (Workman, 2007).
The study’s independent variable is the application of virtual tools in teams while the dependent variable is the performance of such teams by specialization. Based on the findings, the research established that efficiencies arise from global virtual teams. Strategies such as formalized structures, strong interpersonal relationship initiatives, and centralization indicated higher performance of virtual teams. Consequently, the research contributes to the general theory that application of virtual teams improves teams’ performance. Further, the effects of the teams depend on the applied strategies such as organization and culture (Workman, 2007).
A recommended practices system for a global virtual engineering team
Chen and Messner’s research sought to explore the effectiveness of different practices in global virtual engineering teams in solving induced barriers in the teams’ operations. It was based on a theoretical framework that virtual teams face challenges that require strategic approaches for successful performance. Questionnaires were used as the data collection tool to obtain responses about effectiveness of different virtual teams’ practices towards performance. The researchers then established that application of various global virtual engineering tools’ strategies adds value to performance through facilitating “innovation, higher labor productivity, more revenues from overseas work, competitiveness, lower wages, ability to work 24-hour schedules” and time efficiencies (Chen and Messner, 2010, p. 219). This identifies contribution to the theory that implementation of virtual teams through different virtual tools or practices improves performance of an organization that operates in a globalized environment (Chen and Messner, 2010).
The impact of virtual technologies on organizational knowledge creation: An empirical study
The research that was conducted by Vaccaro, Veloso, and Brusoni sought to explore the effect of virtual tools on knowledge creation among virtual teams. It was not based on any theoretical framework but applied case study in its data collection. Its independent variable was applied virtualization while the dependent variable was created knowledge. The researchers concluded that application of virtual tool contributes to knowledge creation in organizations, developing the theory that virtual tools establishes a basis for decision-making and implementation of such decisions in organizations (Vaccaro, Veloso, and Brusoni, 2008).
The reviewed literature therefore identifies contribution to theories on significance of virtual teams and virtual tools to organizational performance. These theories are applicable to the oil production environment that is global and relies on technologies.
References
Chen, C. and Messner, J. (2010). A recommended practices system for a global virtual engineering team. Architectural Engineering and Design Management (6) 207- 221.
Vaccaro, A., Veloso, F. and Brusoni, S. (2008). The impact of virtual technologies on organizational knowledge creation: An empirical study. Proceedings of the 41st Hawaii International Conference on System Science
Workman, M. (2007). The effects from technology-mediated interaction and openness in virtual team performance measures. Behavior and information technology (26.5) 355- 365.