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1. Literature Review: e-Leadership
Probal DasGupta
Regent University
This article reviews existing literature on e-leadership and the
attendant concept of virtual teams. Current scholarship of e-leadership says the goals of
leadership have not changed, but the new e-leader needs to implement those goals
electronically on computer-mediated virtual teams that are dispersed over space and
time. What is very different is that the e-leader may never physically meet one or more
of the followers, and that the main communication medium is the computer. The new
paradigm provides a range of new opportunities: the ability to instantly communicate
one-on-one with employees, customers, and suppliers; the capability to use talent
wherever it exists; the opportunity to enhance organizational performance by
assembling better multi-functional teams, and to improve better customer satisfaction
by using the ―follow the sun‖ methodology; the ability to cut costs; and, scope for better
knowledge management. These can positively impact an organization‘s competitive
advantage. However, e-leaders also have new challenges: how to bridge the physical
distance from the followers; how to communicate effectively with far-flung team
members; how to convey enthusiasm and inspire followers electronically; how to build
trust with someone who may never see the leader; and so on. The article discusses what
new skills the e-leader might require for success. It also examines the concept of the
virtual team from various angles: structure, communication, degrees of virtuality,
multi-cultural issues, trust-building, ethical issues, and so on. Finally, the technology
that supports e-leadership and virtual teams is briefly discussed.
This article presents existing literature on e-leadership. This researcher primarily
utilized the following databases through the Regent University Library access:
ABI/Inform, Business Source Premier, EBSCO Online, Emerald Management XTRA,
IngentaConnect, and ScienceDirect. The following major key words, phrases, and their
variants were used in researching the databases: e-leadership, eLeadership, virtual
leadership, distant leadership, tele-leadership, leading from a distance, leading through
telecommunications, leading through ICT, leading virtual organizations, leading virtual teams,
and leading virtual workforces. Seventy-seven journal articles were ultimately shortlisted
for this study and reviewed. The existing body of knowledge thus discovered falls
under three categories: e-leadership; virtual teams and workforces; and technology.