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

e-business models for virtual organizations
network of alliances. While there are many different classifications
of these models within the literature there is no single,
comprehensive taxonomy and so here we offer our own view of
some of the generic forms of virtual organization models. These
include virtual face, coalliance, star alliance, value alliance,
market alliance, virtual broker and virtual space.
Selecting the structural and strategic forms of business model
will effectively set the strategic agenda for the virtual organization
and define the relationships, roles, business processes and
partnerships which should be exploited.
3.2 The contemporary context for
organizational change
Virtual organizations are best understood as electronically
networked organizations transcending conventional boundaries
with linkages both within and/or between organizations. In its
simplest form, however, virtuality exists where IT is used to
enhance organizational activities while reducing the need for
physical or formalized structure. Degrees of virtuality then exist
which will reflect:
� the virtual organizational culture (strategic positioning);
� the internal and external networks (the intensity and nature of
links between stakeholders);
� the market (IT dependency and resource infrastructure, products,
customers).
3.2.1 Culture
We define culture as shared values and beliefs (Schein 1990).
Organizational cultures that are accepting of technology, highly
decentralized, and change oriented are more likely to embrace
virtuality and actively seek these opportunities both inside and
outside the organization. Virtual culture results from a perception
of the entire organization and its operations held by its
stakeholder community.
This is operationalized in choices and actions which result in a
feeling of unity with respect to value sharing (i.e. each client’s
expectations are satisfied in the product accessed), and time–
space arrangement (i.e. each stakeholder shares the feeling of a
continuous access to the organization and its products). The
embodiment of this culture comes through the virtual strategic
perspective (VSP) which the organization adopts. Its value
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