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Contributions to ETODL

the European Telework On-line Discussion List

http://www.eto.org.uk/discuss.htm

Minutes

http://www.eto.org.uk/etw-announce/list/

Contributions during January 1997

On 29-1-97

Virtual Organizations

Ari Luukinen proposed a definition: <the characteristics of "virtual organization".. could be summarized briefly as following>

This list of items is very pertinent. Some of them are "sine qua non" conditions. Some are characteristics for a special kind of V.O.

<a) temporarity, ie. project-like action>

Yes. This seems to be the meaning of "virtual"

<b) voluntarity>

This is not the case for a project in a traditional organization. But you need a reserve of people and the time-availability of the volunteers. This is not always the case. It seems that a virtual organization appears inside a larger "potential" network.

<c) generation of added value beyond traditional organizational / business unit boundaries>

This seems a CONDITION to compete with traditional organizations.

<d) great level of freedom and autonomity in the use of ones own resources>

This is a condition to obtain the acceptance of very hight skills, able to create value.

<e) cooperation and intensive interaction (teamwork, business cooperation)>

The way the work is organized in such an organization. This is also the case for project in a traditional organization.

<f) commitment to non-local goals and visions>

A condition to prefer a virtual to a local team. This requires, one more time, a larger, previous, "potential" network.

<g) control of added value generating processes in the system level>

To be compatible with "voluntarity" and "freedom and autonomity" this requires an alternation in the responsabilities. Some times you are a specialist, some times you are a manager (in the system level), except for some too specialized skills.

<h) time and place independency (innovative use of information and communications technology in work arrangements and communications).>

Yes. This seems to be a condition of "virtuality"

< continuing change > and< learning to it>

Some traditional organizations try to obtain these effects by an intensive use of "project management". Will they become V.O.? What would be the difference between V.O. and renewed T.O.?

On 30-1-97

Virtual Organizations

Answer to Mike Curtis

Mike:< if people cooperate then they have formed a real organisation, there is nothing virtual about it>

HH: You are right, this seems to be a paradox. But the "virtual reality" is also a paradox.

In a computer, when I create a model of a product with a Computer Aided Design Software, the computer is real, the screen is real, the model exists as an ideal model (set of equations) and as a 3D picture. This is a virtual reality. One day, it will give a real product in the hand of the customer, by a real production process. So "virtual" don't means "don't exists" but "exists on a very low material mode, just enough to produce a picture". The characteristics of this picture are suffisant to control the real process of production. The virtual organization is embeded between some local real organizations and a global real network. The permanence is an attribute for the two limits. The organization exists, but with a very low level of rules. Like a project, she is totaly oriented by her object. Only functionnal rules.

<c) generation of added value beyond.. boundaries> <d).. freedom and autonomity..>

These are also characteristics of partnership

<g) control of added value generating processes in the system level>

This point seems important but difficult to define. As Mike wrote, this is the case for <workers cooperative>. This is also a characteristic of partnership.

<h).. Genuine place independency, but only partial time independency>

Let's say that the place is not limited to the principal location of one of the member or partner.

It's difficult to imagine a virtual organization to produce material things.

It's difficult to imagine a virtual organization to give permanent services.

The field of action for virtual organizations seems to be either the production of "virtual reality" such as a CAD model, i.e. a design process or a transformation in the knowledge of this members. This gives an importance to the criterium of "temporarity".

On 30-1-97

Virtual Organizations

Answer to Horace Mitchell

Horace: <<temporarity>> may not be generally applicable. >

HH: The opposition between "permanence" and "temporarity" is not parallel to the opposition between "virtual" and "traditional". Nevertheless: The traditional organization used to respect the three unities rule of the classical theatre: unity of space, unity of time, unity of theme. An employee belongs to a permanent (time) service who corresponds to a kind a skills (theme) and to an office location (space).

Telework destroys the unity of space. But employees-teleworkers don't belong to a virtual organization.
Project changes the cursus of the carreer. When an employee works in a project team he is far from his service. He is (well/bad) appreciated by the project's director. What happens, for him, at the end of the project? New project? Knowledge capitalisation in his service? Project destroys the unity of time. But project-members don't belong to a virtual organization.
Partnership between companies changes the boundaries of solidarity. A project in partnership leads you to exchange informations and knowledge with customer, providers and competitors. I have participated to 4 projects in partnership during the last 6 years. It seems that Horace pointed this criterium when he wrote: <To me, the descriptor <<virtual>> signifies that the organisation operates on a different contractual or legal basis than our conventional ones> I think that partnership between companies destroys the unity of theme. But partnership-members don't belong to a virtual organization.

In order to avoid an excessive use of the term "virtual", I propose to limit it's use to the destruction of the three unities: space, time, theme.

So, the boundaries of a virtual organization are always moving. Like partnership, a virtual organization includes classical (small/large) organizations. These organizations are opened to their environnment. A virtual organization has many simultaneous theme. While some of his members belongs to a discussion list, some of them are working in a temporary project. The project is not permanent. The theme of the discussion is not permanent. The list of the members is not permanent. The location of the managing team ("at the system level" Ari wrote) is not permanent. It depends on the project, it depends on the discussion. And so on.

To my opinion, a virtual organization combines the changes brought by: telework, project and partnership. The required permanence is given by the classical organizations belonging to the virtual organization and by the permanence of the network used by the individuals.

On 30-1-97

Virtual Organizations

On 5-12-96, Richard Davies asked:<< Will there ever be Tele-regions in Europe?.. whether it is likely that we will see the development of strong networks of tele-working arise at a regional level within the UK/wider Europe. >>

On 9-12-96, Mike Curtis answered: <<The current concept of a region is very much based upon ideas of travel and personal contact. Roughly my "region" is the area in which I can if I wish physically visit people and places comfortably within a day. I do not see how the growth of a universal network changes this....What may happen is the growth of a "virtual region". That is the possibility of maintaining a community with common interests and frequent contact without the necessity for physical closeness. One area of commonality could be an interest in a geographic region; for example a virtual region of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland could include emigrants from the area, regular visitors and scholars as well as those who live there.>>

I remember that Emilia was interested by this concept.

We may build some hypothesis about the way a Virtual Organization appears and grows.

I will take a real example: Mr Michel Pinton, actual mayor of Felletin (France, Creuse) took some initiatives. Felletin is a pilot site for the french project "Autoroutes de l'Information". So there are three web sites in this small town, organized by 3 different, real organizations:

Mairie (Town Hall)

http://www.cyem.mairie-felletin.fr/

Cyber-en-Marche (An Association to promote Cyber Culture and Employment)

http://www.cyem.mairie-felletin.fr/accueil/cyem.html

Parabole (A telework company who developps software)

http://www.cyem.mairie-felletin.fr/parabole/parabole.html

I have heard about this experience by somebody, in my family, who lives there. I made some interviews and publish an article on the web site of the "Network for Remote Activities" (4th real organization) because I am interested by help to unemployed (Cyber-en-Marche) and by telework (Parabole) who are non local topics.

http://rad2000.free.fr/eh960608.htm

By the way, I made a mention of the "Point Accueil Service" of Echassieres (France, Allier) This PAS (5 th real organization) was created by the "Foyers Ruraux d'Allier" (6 th real organization)

At is turn, Cyber-en-Marche is partner of Radio-Creuse (7 th real organization).

And now, let us dream!;-))

Suppose that some people whose parents came from Felletin or Aubusson or somewhere on the Plateau de Millevaches create a web site somewhere in Canada, Australia, Argentine and Scottish Highlands. (15 real organizations) Each site becomes a mirror of what happens in and around Felletin. Some tourists discover this place and spend their hollidays. They create a page and some links on their own web site. (20 real organizations). New opportunities appear. Some new companies plan to install at Felletin (this is real again). (22 real organizations). I think you have an example of a virtual organization. No central decider. Freedom, autonomy, open mind, initiative, locality and distance... You may imagine the same scenario on the basis of Vercors-Connect or Télespace-Vercors

http://www.vercors-connect.gre.fr

What happens IF Felletin and Vercors DISCOVERED some common interest?

A bientot,

Hubert