There are essential to the remote groups obstacles: communication deficiency, poor leadership and management, incompetent team members. They arise due to the constraints in virtual communication mediums, lack of body language use and great distance that overtly affect the timing and completion date of a project. Therefore, there should be a specific conflict solving approach. In the context of the workplace conflicts, the virtual environment is a double-edged sword, While there are less relationship disagreements, the so-called “online dis-inhibition effect". This phenomenon occurs due to the less restraint in a virtual environment than in the off-line world. What is more, due to the lack of face-to-face contact and empathy, task-related disputes, as a rule, quickly progress into relationship conflicts.  Such conflicts should be resolved with the help of the online discussion board along with shared virtual work space. The first of the mentioned tools prevent problems from festering, as people do not wait for next meeting to discuss important issues, and then created transparency builds trust. In similar way, virtual work space, an intranet website, with all the important task-related issues shared within it, helps to solve conflicts rationally (Ferrazzi). 

Works cited

Ferrazzi, Keith. "How to Manage Conflict in Virtual Teams. “Harvard Business Review. 19 Nov 2012: n. page. Web. 27 Aug. 2013. <http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/11/how_to_manage_conflict_in_virt.html>.

Virtual groups

Virtual groups are people who work toward a mutual goal using computer technology to communicate and achieve their objective. Usually, virtual teams do not arrange face-to-face meetings; their interaction is conducted merely through the Internet and electronic mail. 

Normal co-located teams, on the contrary, meet in real-time settings and communicate orally. This allows members to witness interaction as well as develop a visual picture of their group members, and observe their reactions. There is no wonder that virtual teams are characterized by different set of practices and procedures.  With a greater importance of the time zone differences, meeting tools and electronic communications, that mode of work present some drawbacks. (To be continue!!!!!)