ICT and the Virtual Organization

Abstract

The need to be adapted to the changes in the environment, to improve the operational efficiency and to increase the level of satisfaction in customers has promoted the redesigning of the firm¿s organisational processes. Firms tend each time more to externalise activities at a different level by making it possible the appearance of new models of organisation. The analysis of different theories coming from a variety of literature review offers us the opportunity to affirm that being virtual is a characteristic present today in firms at different levels (Shin, 2004). In this paper we offer a definition for the concept of virtual systems. An explanation from the Strategic Management field is also accompanied. Finally this analysis attempts to draw an explanatory model of the capacity of value creation in the virtual systems in comparison with traditional alternatives.