Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify the future technologies that best facilitate creativity within virtual teams, the feasibility of the application of the technologies over time, and the barriers impacting the implementation of these technologies. Methodology. A qualified descriptive study was conducted using a modified version of the conventional Delphi methodology to address the research questions. Purposive sampling was used to identify a representative expert panel. All correspondence between the researcher and panel members was done electronically through a secure web page, e-mail, or the telephone. Three rounds were used to collect data. Findings. Technologies that had at least nineteen or more panelists express an opinion had implementation feasibility means of 3.0 or higher (feasible and highly feasible) and time-line means of 2.0 or higher (available ten to twenty years from now) were filtered for the final list of future technologies that will facilitate virtual team creativity. These were identified as: (1) General Metacomputing Infrastructures (ID 7.01); (2) Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (ID 10.02); (3) Presence Technologies (ID 13.02); (4) General Enhancements in Holography (ID 5.01); (5) Automated Language Translation (ID 1.01); (6) Interpretive Sketching (ID 6.01); (7) General Nanotechnology (ID 9.01); (8) Simulated Virtual Team Members (ID 5.02). Conclusions. Among the several conclusions of this study were the following: (1) There will not be one individual technology that will provide an improved environment for virtual teams; it will be the integration of multiple technologies that truly establishes an effective virtual environment. (2) Social presence technology was key for virtual team creativity for the generations that dominated the workforce when the study was conducted (Baby Boomers and Generation Xers). However, it is anticipated that social presence technology will lose its importance when the Net Generation of employees joins the creative virtual team workforce. (3) Creative virtual teams will need to rely on larger consumer-based industries to drive the investment priorities necessary to develop the highest-ranked technologies. They will need to track "dual-use" opportunities for technology development. (4) The dominating barrier to the development and implementation of these virtual team technologies is a lack of trust amongst humankind.