Syftet med studien har varit att undersöka projektledares upplevelse av kommunikationen i virtuella projekt inom IT-branschen. Datainsamling genomfördes genom kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer med totalt nio projektledare. Det insamlade materialet har analyserats genom tematisk analys. Av resultatet framgår att projekten inom IT-branschen till stor del är virtuella och att kommunikationen mellan projektdeltagarna och även mot beställare till stor del sker virtuellt. Den formen av kommunikation har både för- och nackdelar, men för att för att underlätta det för deltagarna att kommunicera virtuellt är ett fysiskt första möte essentiellt för en effektiv kommunikationsmiljö. Ett sådant möte har inte bara fördelen av att deltagarna lär känna varandra, och därför får det lättare att sedan kommunicera virtuellt, utan det är också ett bra tillfälle att se till att alla deltagare får en gemensam målbild och för att skapa en känsla av grupptillhörighet (s.k. teambuilding). Medan virtuella möten har fördelen att de ofta är mer effektiva och tar mindre resurser i anspråk, har de nackdelen av att kommunikationen många gånger begränsas till text och tal, medan det är svårare att läsa av ansiktsuttryck och kroppsspråk. Samtidigt är text och tal de viktigaste kommunikationsformerna, men det finns med språket alltid en risk för misstag vid tolkningar. Studiens främsta upptäckt är att dålig kommunikation har sin orsak i misstolkningar av information. För att råda bot på detta finns tekniker med kontroll av att informationen nått fram, vilka bör användas för att säkerställa en effektiv kommunikation. / The purpose of the study has been to investigate project managers' experiences of communication in virtual projects in the IT industry. Data collection was conducted through qualitative semi-structured interviews with a total of nine project managers. The collected material has been analyzed using thematic analysis. The results show that projects in the IT industry are largely virtual and that communication between the project members and also towards clients is largely virtual. This form of communication has both advantages and disadvantages, but in order to facilitate virtual communication, a physical first meeting is essential for an effective communication environment. A physical meeting has not only the benefit of the participants getting to know each other, and therefore makes it easier to communicate virtually, but it is also a good opportunity to ensure that all participants share a common goal and to create a sense of group belonging (socalled team building). While virtual meetings often have the advantage of being more efficient and consume less resources, they have the disadvantage of difficulties to read facial expressions and body language. The communication is often limited to text and speech. On the other hand, text and speech are the most important forms of communication, but with textual and oral language there is always a risk of misinterpretation. The study's main finding is that poor communication has its cause in misinterpretation of information. In order to counteract this, there are techniques to verify that the information has been obtained, which should be used to ensure effective communication.

With more than 5 million people sick and 300 thousand dead, the global economy has experienced an economic shock more severe than the financial crisis of 2008. The sudden emergence of COVID-19 as a global threat came at a time when a significant percentage of businesses are divided in their degree of digital maturity. The pandemic forced organizations to make digitalization and digital transformation a rapid strategic focus. One of the most important aspects of this transformation has been providing remote infrastructure that can support an entirely digital workforce. Besides this urgent need of digital technology, the situation has resulted in a need of leaders who might need very different competencies and behaviours than leaders needed a couple of years ago. The lack of literature on digital leadership in crisis and empirical research describing the impact of digital transformation on leadership called the authors for further exploration. The primary purpose of this thesis was to investigate the adaptation of managers to the rapid digitalization of their day to day assignments caused by the outbreak of COVID-19. In addition, the thesis also sought to explore how high digitalization and digital leadership could function as a vital part of building a crisis-resistant organization against future pandemics. To fulfil the purpose, the following research question was identified: How does a crisis affect digital leadership? The study was conducted through interviews with the management committee of one of the divisions at L’Oréal Group in the Nordics. The empirical findings of this study suggest that managers that lead their teams using digital tools require specific social and task-related skills in order to efficiently communicate with their team in times of crisis. In addition, the findings frame the COVID-19 pandemic as a driver of organizational change towards digitalization and digital transformation. It is concluded that organizations that have the necessary digital infrastructure, digitally skilled workforce and agile operations have and will be more prepared for similar types of events in the future. Correspondingly, this study provides further understanding of digital leadership by researching it in the context of crisis and by providing practical recommendations of how to establish a pandemic-proof business continuity model.

The purpose of this research is to examine virtual team members' use and perceptions of information technology (IT) support mechanisms. The study identifies the IT support mechanisms currently in use and focuses on differences between virtual and non-virtual teams in control and coordination, IT acceptance, and IT adoption.

Die steigende Konkurrenz um qualifizierte Mitarbeiter veranlasst Unternehmen die Mitarbeiterbindung zu forcieren, und durch Belohnung und Anerkennung Anreize zu schaffen, um die Fluktuation möglichst gering zu halten. Dieses Paper geht auf Reward and Recognition Systeme als eine mögliche Strategie der Mitarbeiterbindung ein und stellt Schlüsselfaktoren und Handlungsempfehlungen für eine Implementierung in virtuellen Teams dar. Dazu wurde ein Literature Review durchgeführt und die daraus resultierte Datenbasis einer qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse unterzogen. Dabei konnte festgestellt werden, dass virtuelle Teams besondere Herausforderungen wie fehlende räumliche Nähe und eingeschränkte Feedbackmöglichkeiten überwinden müssen, damit Belohnung und Anerkennung nicht auf der Strecke bleiben. Als zentrales Ergebnis der Untersuchung kann festgehalten werden, dass bei der Implementierung von Reward and Recognition Systeme die Individualität und Diversität der Mitarbeiter, der virtuellen Teams und der Organisation beachtet werden sollte.

Bakgrund: Den rådande Covid-19-pandemin har lett till ett ökat distansarbete där projektledare ställts inför nya utmaningar för att försäkra att kunskapsdelning kan ske effektivt inom projektgrupper. Tidigare forskning har visat att kunskapsdelning sker effektivt via social interaktion, och att det sociala utbytet är en viktig faktor för att motivera projektmedlemmar till att dela kunskap. Därav blir det intressant att undersöka vilka effekter det ökade distansarbetet har haft på kunskapsdelningen inom projektgrupper när den sociala kontexten förändras. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka de förändringar som projektledare har gjort för att försäkra att kunskap kommuniceras och delas inom projektgrupper under den rådande Covid-19 pandemin. Forskningsfrågor:  1) Hur arbetar projektledare med att försäkra att kunskapsdelning sker effektivt i projekt under Covid-19 pandemin? 2) Hur arbetar projektledare med att motivera projektmedlemmar till att dela kunskap under Covid-19 pandemin? Resultat: Det sociala utbytet har visat sig vara en avgörande faktor för att motivera projektmedlemmar till att dela kunskap. Studien visar att digitala hjälpmedel har varit viktiga för att försäkra att kunskapsdelning kan ske effektivt, men att de inte är en helhetslösning. Kunskapsbidrag: Studien utvecklar och nyanserar tidigare publicerad litteratur genom att identifiera viktiga faktorer för effektiv kunskapsdelning under distansarbetet, såsom snabba kommunikationsvägar, uppföljningar, tydlighet, tillgänglighet, bekräftelse och motivation. / Background: The current Covid-19 pandemic has led to increased distance work where project managers are faced with new challenges to ensure that knowledge sharing within project groups can be done effectively. Previous research has shown that social interaction is the most effective way to share knowledge, and that social exchange is an important factor in motivating project members to knowledge sharing. Therefore, it is interesting to investigate what effects the increased distance work has had on the sharing of knowledge within project groups when the social context changes.Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to examine the changes that project managers have made in order to ensure that knowledge is being communicated and shared within project groups during the current Covid-19 pandemic.  Research questions:  1) How do project managers ensure that knowledge sharing is being done effectively during the Covid-19 pandemic? 2) How do project managers motivate the project members to share knowledge during the Covid-19 pandemic? Results: Social exchange has proven to be a crucial factor in motivating project members to share knowledge. The study shows that digital tools have been important to ensure that knowledge sharing can take place efficiently. However, digital tools are not a complete solution to becoming more effective.  Knowledge contribution: The thesis develops previously published literature by identifying important factors for effective knowledge sharing during distance work, such as fast communication paths, follow-ups, clarity, availability, acknowledgement, and motivation.

Background: Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the associated restrictions and recommendations has forced a transition into a more digital and virtual environment. Thus, businesses have faced numerous challenges regarding both leading and working at a distance. Leading to an increased need for digital skills and new ways of working, as has been advocated by successful international consulting firms. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop the research about distance leadership, leadership in virtual and digital contexts, and leadership in crisis. Thus, the aim was to investigate and compare team leadership, such as it was before the recommendation and restrictions caused by COVID-19, with the present. Research question: How has the forced digital transformation affected the team leadership from the perspective of both leaders and employees? Methodology: A case study was conducted in which semi-structured interviews, a collection of background information and data from an internal personnel survey was used to gather in-depth information. Conclusion: The results from the case study indicated three main challenges: internal communication, the need for combined and adaptable leadership, and the observed outcomes from the relation-oriented and task-oriented behaviors.

Abstract   Title: Work to home- Home to work        - A qualitative study of the changes that has taken place in communication between                      managers and employees after reorganization to teleworking.    Institution: School of Business, Society and Engineering, Malardalen University Level: Bachelor thesis in Business Administration, 15 credits Authors: Mahsa Shirkhan (920617), Henrik Snell (910618) & Sara Wadii (910304) Tutor: Kerstin Nilsson Date: 2021-06-03   Purpose: The purpose of this study is to create an understanding of the leadership role and to research how leaders and employees compensate for the lost physical contact that the forced teleworking has entailed and how it has affected the communication between leader and employee. Through interviews, we intend to create an understanding of how leadership and communication play out with forced teleworking seen from the leader's and employees' perspective.   Research Questions: How can leaders and employees compensate for the lack of physical and social contact so that no information is lost through teleworking.    Method: Qualitative research method   Conclusion: The pandemic has meant that leaders and employees have been forced to work remotely. This comes with several challenges for companies and working groups that manifest themselves primarily in communication. From face-to-face communication in an office landscape to being spread out and only communicating digitally. Leaders and employees need to adapt to continue to be productive in the virtual work environment. The loss of body language that one could previously rely on and the rapid communication that could take place in the office needs to be compensated for. This study shows that leadership fulfils an important function for working remotely and by using the various digital communication solutions, one can compensate for the loss of the physical interactions so that productivity is maintained. In terms of work, efficiency and productivity can continue to be at levels like before in the office landscape. The study concludes that the biggest challenge lies in individuals' social and emotional needs.   Keywords: Communication, leadership, virtual teams, virtual leadership, teleworking

Covid-19 is a virus that has been rapidly spreading throughout the entire world from the start of 2020 and continued even during 2021. In a little bit over a year Sweden had more than one million confirmed cases of Covid-19. This virus has caused companies to start working remotely, by distance, to minimize the spread of the virus, which has forced employees and managers to adapt to the new way of working. The quick change to working remotely, in virtual teams, can cause challenges that require managers to adapt or change their leadership to effectively handle the transition. In this study, the purpose is to examine leadership and how managers experience the way of managing by distance. This study will also seek an understanding of which challenges and changes in the leadership that are the main consequences and also how managers have changed their way of working with motivation, communication and monitoring during remote work. To conduct the study a qualitative research method has been applied where only one company has been studied to get a deeper understanding of this phenomenon and to collect data ten semi-structured interviews were conducted and six questionnaires were sent. The company in this study is anonymous, which means that when the company is mentioned it will be by a fictitious name. The findings showed that the leadership’s main challenges were the social distance, the lack of natural encounters, the sensitive conversations and to see employees’ well-being as well as their body language. Based on the empirical evidence, the focus of motivation was perceived to be more focused on maintaining relationships and to look after the employees' health and well-being. It seems that the communication has increased in view of regular meetings and reconciliations, but also to maintain the social contact. The reconciliations are used to create an overview, not to micromanage or exercise control but instead the managers rely on trust and competence. Their leadership also seems to have become more present and more engaged with the employees. Finally, this study concludes that some aspects that managers perceive as important in their leadership are reinforced when working remotely. These are for example communication, to be present and building relationships. Additionally, there are also aspects that are not as important (development) at the same time as new aspects (well-being) are highlighted more during leadership by distance. / Covid-19 är ett virus som har haft en snabb spridning över hela världen från början av 2020 och fortsättningsvis även under 2021. Inom lite mer än ett år hade Sverige mer än en miljon bekräftade fall av Covid-19. Viruset har gjort att företag behövt börja arbeta hemifrån för att minska smittspridning, vilket tvingat medarbetare och chefer att ställa om till det nya arbetssättet och virtuella team. Att arbeta på distans kan medföra några utmaningar som ställer krav på chefer att anpassa eller förändra sitt ledarskap för att effektivt hantera omställningen. I denna studie är syftet att undersöka ledarskap och hur chefer upplever att det är att leda på distans. Studien söker även efter en förståelse för vilka utmaningar och förändringar i ledarskapet som är de huvudsakliga konsekvenserna och även hur chefer förändrat sitt sätt att arbeta med motivation, kommunikation och översyn under distansarbetet. För att genomföra studien har en kvalitativ forskningsmetod applicerats där endast ett företag har undersökts för att få en djupare förståelse för fenomenet och för att samla in data har tio semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförts och sex frågeformulär skickats. Företaget i denna studie är anonymt, vilket betyder att när företaget nämns är det med ett fiktivt namn. Resultatet visade att ledarskapets främsta utmaningar var den sociala distansen, avsaknandet av naturliga möten, känsliga samtal och att se medarbetarnas välmående samt deras kroppsspråk. Utifrån respondenterna uppfattades motivationens fokus vara mer inriktat på att vårda relationer och även att se över medarbetarnas hälsa samt välmående. Det verkar som att kommunikationen har ökat med tanke på de regelbundna mötena och avstämningarna men också för att den sociala kontakten ska bibehållas. Avstämningarna används för att få en överblick, de använder sig inte av mikromanagement för att utöva kontroll utan istället förlitar sig cheferna på förtroende och medarbetares kompetens. Ledarskapet verkar ha blivit mer närvarande med ökad delaktighet med medarbetarna. Avslutningsvis drar denna studie slutsatsen att några aspekter som chefer upplever som viktiga i deras ledarskap förstärks under distansarbete. Dessa är exempelvis kommunikation, att vara närvarande samt bygga relationer. Vidare finns det även aspekter som inte är lika viktiga (utveckling) samtidigt som nya aspekter (välmående) lyfts mer vid ledarskap på distans.

Bakgrund Under år 2020 drabbades världen av Covid-19-pandemin. Många företag fick i och med detta rekommendationer att arbeta på distans (FHM, 2020). Detta har inneburit att team har övergått till att bli virtuella team och kontorsarbete har övergått till att bli distansarbete. Chefers ledarskap sattes nu inför utmaningar att kunna hantera den nya situationen och att utöva ledarskap på distans. Situationen har gjort att cheferna fått ändra sitt ledarskap till att likna ett situationsanpassat ledarskap. Syfte Studiens syfte är att skapa en förståelse för hur en chefs ledarskap har förändrats med tiden, men främst förändringar som uppstått när Covid-19 drabbade världen. Studien undersöker hur ledare utövar sitt ledarskap i virtuella team på distans. Den har även belyst medarbetarnas syn på förändringen i chefens ledarskap. I studien har företrädesvis frågor ställts om ledarskapets förändring när det gäller: Hur övergång, kommunikation och samspel förändrats i ledarskapet i det virtuella teamet. Metod Studien utgår från en kvalitativ metod med intervjuer och enkäter. Intervjuerna genomfördes med nio olika chefer från olika företag och branscher. Enkäterna utfördes av 32 medarbetare för att komplettera intervjuerna. Resultat Utifrån det empiriska resultatet kunde studiens författare se att övergången till distansarbete har varit väldigt olika för cheferna. Cheferna hade fått göra en anpassning i sitt ledarskap efter situationen de befann sig i. Cheferna hade alla satts på prov i sitt ledarskap för att anpassa sig efter den nya situationen och miljön, det som främst var skillnaden som cheferna upplevde är kontakten till sina medarbetare. Slutsatser Sammanfattningsvis har ledarskapet varit mer stödjande än styrande. Eftersom alla organisationer ser olika ut har de stått inför olika utmaningar beroende på deras situation. Studien visar på att ett mer stödjande beteende använts generellt. Det har vid några tillfällen visat sig att en styrande ledarstil har varit användbar men det går inte att säga vilken ledarstil som är bäst anpassad för team som går över till virtuella team under en pandemi eftersom alla organisationer står inför olika situationer och utmaningar. / Background In 2020, the world was affected by the COVID-19-pandemic. As a result, many companies were recommended to work remotely (FHM, 2020). This has meant that teams have transitioned to becoming virtual teams and office work has transitioned to teleworking. Managers' leadership has faced challenges in being able to handle the new situation and to exercise leadership remotely. The situation has led managers to change their leadership to resemble situational leadership. Purpose The purpose of the study is to create an understanding of how a manager's leadership has changed over time, but mainly changes that occurred when Covid-19 hit the world. The study examines how leaders exercise their leadership in virtual teams at a distance. It has also highlighted employees' views on the change in the manager's leadership. Method The study is based on a qualitative method with interviews and surveys. The interviews were conducted with nine different managers from different companies and industries. The surveys were conducted by 32 employees to complete the interviews. Result Based on the empirical results, the researchers were able to see to the study that the transition to teleworking has been very different for managers. The managers had had to adapt their leadership to the situation they were in. The managers had all been put to the test in their leadership to adapt to the new situation and the environment, which was mainly the difference that the managers experienced is the contact with their employees. Conclusions In conclusion, leadership has been more supportive than governing. Because all organizations look different, they have faced different challenges depending on their situation. The study shows that more supportive behaviour has been used in general. It has been shown on a few occasions that a governing leadership style has been useful, but it is not possible to say which leadership style is best suited for teams that transition to virtual teams during a pandemic because all organizations face different situations and challenges.

In today's knowledge economy, intellectual capabilities are one of the most important resources for organizations. Attempts have therefore been made to consolidate knowledge and facilitate knowledge sharing within organizations. For this purpose, many organizations turn to knowledge management systems. This study aims to investigate the barriers and enablers that affect the use of knowledge management systems for virtual teams within the public sector. To investigate this, we have conducted a qualitative case study of one of the largest multi-entity projects ever conducted within the Swedish public sector, and their use of their knowledge management system “Muster”. Our findings suggest there are multiple barriers and enablers for knowledge management use. Furthermore, our findings reveal that most enablers are related to organizational factors whilst barriers consist of both organizational and system factors.The barriers are limited access, inadequate routines, and lack of informal meetings in virtual teams. The last one we found to be unique for virtual teams. The enablers are importance of knowledge, organizational attitude, and routines for knowledge capture and storage. This suggests that duality of routines is present and a factor in knowledge management system use.