VTP2_Group2
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Apr 3, 2024
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VTP Assignment 2: Annotated Bibliography - Group 2
Introduction: Our virtual team project on competition requires sources that will allow us to break down
various aspects of competition in the workplace. This includes different types of competition, pros and cons, its goals, how it alters team dynamics, and its outcomes. To
gather our sources, we used Google, the Rutgers library databases, and YouTube. Our strategy for finding these sources was to think back on some main points that we wanted to cover (listed above), and see which sources were able to provide us with detailed information and studies to back it up. We analyzed various sources and compared them to make sure we were obtaining the most useful pieces that would be most beneficial for our e-book, as well as interesting and informative. Abraham, Elsheba K, et al. “Competing Conversations: An Examination of Competition as Intrateam Interactions.” Frontiers in Psychology
, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 3 May 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6510310/. This article discusses tests which analyze the effects of competition on teams. Specifically, it breaks down constructive competition, which revolves more around social
comparisons and gaining knowledge rather than individual effects like winning which is often the topic when discussing competition. It provides a unique perspective on the effects of constructive competition like task conflict, performance, and team satisfaction.
It discusses zero-sum competition vs constructive competition, where one is focused on
winning and the other is not. There are many differences in results between these two types, and allows for deeper analysis of competition. Its ultimate goal is to break down where teams can be beneficial or detrimental to teams based on all of the points and data it discusses.
This source is useful for our team’s e-book because it provides extensive information with research and data to back up the points about the effects of competition on teams. Our team can utilize its information on outcomes of competition, the differences between the two main types of competition that are broken down, and the process/results of the studies that were done on this. It’s a very in-depth article which can give us multiple areas and perspectives to back up our statements. If we need a study to explain reasoning on how a team’s competitive choices affect its outcomes, this
will be a very useful source.
Arora-Jonsson, S., Brunsson, N., & Hasse, R. (2020). Where does competition come from? the role of organization. Organization Theory
, 1
(1), 263178771988997. https://doi.org/10.1177/2631787719889977 This journal summarizes how there could be miscommunication because of competition, and it addresses the overlooked aspects of competition within organizations. They criticize the organizations that assume that competition emerges only just because, and they don’t seem to realize that there’s a deeper aspect to it. They
begin to explain specific elements that could cause competition: actors, relationships, scarcity, and desire. They also discuss the fact that when competition is created, it can either be dealt with individually or with the whole team. This led me to the fact about different types of organized competitions: the role of rankers, prize givers, and other actors interested in creating competition, and competition as an unintended consequence of organization. Economic and democratic markets are also being hit with competitiveness, and it’s discussed in the journal how different companies/people handled the situation. Competition is said to be a primary social phenomenon and it’s a key concept in social science. How the idea of competition merges from not what is given, but from where the
origins come from. Competition is never certain and in different cases, there are wider sets of competitiveness to deal with.
Competition is alive and well in the remote workplace
. (2020, August 27). In Business Madison. https://www.ibmadison.com/competition-is-alive-and-well-
in-the-remote-workplace/
This source speaks directly to the competition that is still seen in the workplace even when the workplace is virtual. Specifically, it speaks on the healthy competitive nature of coworkers in a virtual workforce and how it is alive and well. According to the article there are many different ways provided, that companies can both promote and monitor the competition that goes on in the workplace. Along with all of this, there are also ways
in which companies can deal with competition that may begin to get out of hand and become unhealthy to the work environment. All in all the article fully encompasses the importance of competition in the workplace and how a company or team can make sure that it stays within the healthy boundaries in the workplace.
As a team we can view this source as a different way of viewing competition in the virtual workforce. Having complementary sources of information throughout the project will allow for our messages to gain more effectiveness as the writing process continues. Not only can the project benefit from this source, our team can use some of the information that we have found in order to generate our own sense of competition within
our virtual team. By creating this competition we will be able to generate the most productive work ethic from each of our group members as well as ourselves.
Hanover, Greg. “Council Post: Make Remote Work a Competitive Advantage for Your Company.” Forbes
, 14 Aug. 2023, www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/08/14/make-remote-work-a-
competitive-advantage-for-your-company/?sh=3615da572051. Accessed 15 Nov.
2023.
This Forbes article talks about how the workforce has moved forward and seen that virtual work is what most employees are pushing for. In order to appease employees some companies are sticking to a virtual workforce. By sticking with what the majority of a company feels is more productive and suitable for their workforce, Liveops, the company discussed in the article, decided to not fight against the new wave of innovation and use it as an advantage. With this change employees were not only more
pleased with their working conditions but they were also more productive as well. This competitive advantage over companies that may be trying to implement their way back into the office has allowed for Liveops to continue their operations as normal and not miss a beat. Through this source our group is able to see the competitive advantages that come with
working in a virtual team both on a small scale and on a larger level, like a whole company. Seeing this competitive advantage will allow us as a team to build upon our prior knowledge of virtual teams in order to better understand the true nature of the topic
of competition in virtual teams. Along with giving us as a team a better understanding, this will allow us to portray better to our audience our desired message. In tandem with our journal sources and video sources we can teach the audience what there is to know
about this topic. We will also be able to answer questions that our audience may have regarding our virtual book’s topic. Levi, Daniel, and David A. Askay. Group Dynamics for Teams
. SAGE, 2021. Steinhage, Anna, et al. “The Pros and Cons of Competition among Employees.” Harvard Business Review
, 25 July 2017, hbr.org/2017/03/the-pros-
and-cons-of-competition-among-employees. This article goes through the positives and negatives that come along with competition. It discusses how competition is often used to foster a sense of hard work to reach rewards, but this brings along some unintended consequences. Depending on the nature of how competition is implemented in the workplace, it will likely decide whether there are unethical or ethical behaviors. Specifically, competition that instills fear or anxiety can lead to unethical actions like cutting corners or throwing team members under the bus. On the other hand, competition that instills excitement and positivity will
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lead to ethical behavior and enhanced creativity/team bonding. They used a study to go along with these points, and provided its results.
This source will be useful because it provides a very thought-provoking perspective on ethics in terms of competition. Our other sources provide some great analysis, but having an ethical based source will give us differentiated insight. We can utilize the study and its results to provide more specific details on our points related to this article like the ethical effect on types of competition. It allows us to emphasize the importance of companies/teams instilling the right balance/form of competition that encourages members to use ethical behavior rather than be pushed to pursue unethical tactics. YouTube. (2019). YouTube
. Retrieved November 14, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=YKcei312BGo&ab_channel=News4JAXTheLocalStation. This video summarizes the different scenarios and viewpoints that occur when competition happens in the workplace. How certain workers deal with it, providing statistics. Some workplaces can handle competition, but if it's too much, it will have a negative impact. Being competitive is beneficial in some aspects, but you still need to be corduroy with your coworkers. They also discuss the pros and cons of competition and how it can create more productivity, but there is a fine line to draw when dealing with the team. It’s discussed that competitiveness gets too far when there’s an adverse effect; what you intended went too far, and there’s distrust among coworkers. This video discusses the viewpoint of competitiveness from an employee's perspective and a manager's perspective. As one of the men stated, “... from a manager's perspective, you know, I think that the competition there needs to be with an angle in mind that the entire team succeeds.” If the team's mindset isn’t cohesive, there could be unnecessary tension created, to resolve that, the team would need to address the problem and be straightforward. If there has been some overstepping, there needs to be a conversation to mediate between the two. YouTube. (2019a, February 1). How to deal with hyper-competitive colleagues
. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3Sr4E4GwVg There can be two sides of competition in the workplace, one being healthy and the other
being more toxic and dividing between team members. This video specifically speaks towards the negative side of competition, where there could be instances where team members may be trying to climb themselves up by pulling you down. Collaborating with people in the workplace like this can be inevitable in companies and is described as “sharks”, where they are solely worried about their position in the company rather than the progression of the company.
Working in this type of environment can be taxing, and trying to find ways to avoid that is the advice the video gives. With the different kinds of personalities that can be seen in
the workplace, hyper-competitive individuals will be in every company, and it could be difficult to work alongside them. The video speaks to the harsh realities of what the potential could be at work and gives proper advice on how to direct the negativity that comes from these types of situations. YouTube. (2019, November 16). Company culture. how to optimize internal competition
. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmpnJxoSj3M
In this video, Dr. Sven Sommerlatte is a Chief Human Resources Officer based in Germany. He is a highly qualified individual who speaks on the overall potential team dynamics of the workplace and how to optimize the performance of all members to the fullest. Dr. Sommerlatte gives advice on how to properly create a “company culture”, that allows for not only the individual growth of the employees but the group as a whole to also progress in their endeavors. He also speaks of there being “healthy rivalry” between colleagues as a way to best progress the career trajectories of the workers, as there is a common objective that is set for the group, not the individual. Next is recognizing the accomplishments of the group members, where their hard work and dedication are celebrated. Roles and designated assignments are also something that is to be taken into consideration for the
success of team dynamics and goals. YouTube. (2018). YouTube
. Retrieved November 14, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=gQBRZkS7eLg&ab_channel=livemorenow.net
In this short youtube video it is explained that competition in a team environment/workplace is a semi-common phenomenon that people might face. In order
to successfully handle a coworker/team member who is overly competitive one can maintain focus and embrace the competition. More so, the video highlights 3 main ideas
which are maintaining focus, embracing competition, and thinking proactively. Within all three portions a common theme was to turn the negative aspects of competition into something positive. In terms of usefulness the clip helps bring in a new perspective/way of thinking which is that competition is not always a negative thing in a team environment. It can actually fuel people to work harder and more efficiently. It also encourages a fresh mindset which aims to take away a beneficial trait of competition. More so, this video is a strategic guide for anyone dealing with a competitive team environment. It doesn't just
provide a coping mechanism but presents a proactive approach to turn the tide in favor of collaboration.
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