[8] 2002 e-business-strategies-for-virtual-organizations

Globalization and e-business strategies for SMEs
the exploitation of skills in information and communications
technology. The company is the realization of that dream after a
number of years working for a computer systems reseller and
later national technology policy institute, both in Durban. An
important factor in the development of the company from a
‘network of collaborating professionals’ to an active profitorientated
online company is, as Blocks puts it, the capacity to
‘learn-by-doing on the Internet’. The Internet, according to CEO
Blocks, ‘provides a global environment with huge resources and
opportunities for the information capable and visionary players’.
Also, most of the members including the CEO have had
extensive exposure to state-of-the-art applications of IT during
their continuing education in western countries. For example,
the Vice President, Kennett Musenge, worked with the national
electricity company in Durban as systems planning officer and
maintains an active interest in computer technology systems
both at work and privately.
Organizational structure and work
arrangement
DiBLOCKKA wants to remain a small firm comprising knowledge
workers who enjoy significant autonomy in terms of work
style, time–space management and culture. Currently, there are
12 staff members including 11 professional partners and one
logistic management officer in charge of supply of materials
needed on project-by-project basis. The company’s Durban
office has four staff members, including the CEO and the
logistics management officer. The firm maintains a flexible
management environment where partners enjoy near equal
authority. Members who are located in different international
cities agree to meet in project teams (either physically or
electronically) to discuss issues and share notes on progress in
current projects. Each of the partners has extensive experience in
varied professions, for example a director in a public policy
organization in Europe, a systems manager in a national
electricity company in Africa, a university professor in information
systems in Singapore and a computer systems engineer in
the United States of America.
Work is organized as task-orientated projects around teams
made up of organizational members and other partners and
collaborators in other companies. For example, one of the
current projects is the development of a national infrastructure
assessment and strategy (NIAS) for an East Asian country. The
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