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Saudi Electronic University
College of Administrative and Financial Sciences
E-commerce Department
Group Project
Group Names:
Mohammed Albader
Anas Elsayed
Saud Al-Buainain
Ibrahim Al Nasser
Group IDs:
S210024417
S210024816
S210027063
S200076705
Course Title: Introduction to E-Management
Course Code: ECOM 201
Academic Year/ Semester: 2023/2024-1st
Term
Instructor Name:
CRN:13145
Student Grade: out of 20
Grade Level: Low/ Mid/ High
ECOM 201 Project
Overview
Suppose your group works as a virtual team in a Saudi company that deals with local and global
clients. The company mainly aims to provide digital marketing services and solutions in one
field (e.g., cars, real estate, perfumes, fashion, flowers, healthy food, medicines, etc.). A task has
been given to you by the CEO. The task includes connecting with a Chinese brand that wants to
open an office in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The task is considered completed when the team
proposes a strategy to the Chinese company representative and receives their feedback.
Requirements
The group needs to be divided as follows: one team manager, one representative from the
Chinese brand, one technical support expert, and one or two general members.
Write a reflection on your group work process in creating the team, choosing the tools, working
on the tasks, and reporting the strategy to the client.
Reflection (due by Week 10)
[20 marks]
The reflection should be written after you establish a successful virtual team. The reflection
should describe the process of 4 main components of virtual management: team building, tools,
procedures, and task management. Please use these guidelines on how to do so:
1. Virtual Team: (4 marks- 200 words)
In this section, you need to describe the virtual team.
•
Name your team and specify the field you will focus on.
•
Who are your team members, and what are their roles?
•
What are the personal objectives of each member (why you joined the team)?
•
What is the collective goal for your team (how will your team be successful in that
field)?
•
How the team experienced Bruce Tuckman’s four different stages of team building?
2. Virtual Tool (5 marks- 700 words)
In this section, you describe choosing a tool for your virtual team.
•
What are the main and complimentary virtual tools did you use to manage the tasks?
(provide pictures)
•
Describe the features of these tools that were useful to your teamwork (provide pictures).
•
Why did you choose these tools? What are the other options?
•
Suppose your budget was SAR 10k; how did you use that budget to get the best possible
tool?
•
How frequently does the team meet? How long is each meeting? (Provide photos of the
team meetings at different times)
•
How the meeting minutes helped your team stay focused? (Provide an example of your
team meeting minutes).
3. Virtual work dynamics (5 marks- 700 words)
•
How did you create a virtual office?
o What are the technical challenges that you faced in your work?
o Give some examples of work ethics/ culture in China.
•
How did you utilize vacation time and holiday time?
•
What are the challenges that your team faced in communication?
o Specify how space, time, and cultural differences affected the communication
process.
•
How did you overcome those challenges? (discuss from different roles’ perspectives).
4. Reports and presentations (5.5 marks- 500 words)
•
Provide an example of a proposed strategy your team worked on to make the marketing
campaign successful for the Chinese company in the chosen field.
•
The report should be 300 words describing the status and statistics of the chosen field and
how customers (target audience) can be reached.
o The report should have an introduction, a brief strategy, and a conclusion.
•
Include graphs and statistics to support your report (use local resources. If they were in
Arabic, translate them).
•
The Chinese company representative in your team should provide his/her feedback on the
report (one or two comments)
•
The rest of the team should address those comments.
5. Conclude your reflection (0.5 mark- 100 words)
•
Tell us how your teamwork was, what you would do better, and how you will thrive in
the future.
Useful links:
•
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/documents/planning-and-preparing-towrite-assignments.pdf
•
APA reference system https://student.unsw.edu.au/apa
•
About plagiarism http://wts.indiana.edu/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml
•
About plagiarism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plagiarism
Guidelines for the assignment:
•
This is a group project (4-5 students in each group), which is part of your course score.
It requires effort, collaboration and critical thinking.
•
Use the given template below. One mark will be deducted if there is this template
is not used.
•
Your assignment must be supported by evidence and resources. Otherwise, your
answer will not be valid.
•
Use at least 3 different references from the SDL including the Textbook
•
Use font Times New Roman, Calibri or Arial.
•
Use 1.5 or double line spacing with left Justify all paragraphs.
•
Use the footer function to insert page number.
•
Ensure that you follow the APA style in your project.
•
Your project report length should be between 2000 to 2500 words.
Up to 20% of the total grade will be deducted for providing a poor assignment structure. The
structure includes these elements paper style, free of spelling and grammar mistakes, referencing,
and format.
Virtual Team
We named our virtual team “Medipro”, united by the goal of bringing innovative Chinese
medical solutions to Saudi Arabia’s evolving healthcare landscape. Our team encompassed diverse
expertise. Mohammed as team manager was tasked with coordinating efforts and keeping us on
track. Chong, our Chinese brand representative, provided vital insights into the medical brand’s
offerings to cater to regional needs. Anas, our technical analyst, ensured seamless virtual
collaboration by leveraging the latest digital tools. Meanwhile, Ibrahim and Saud infused their
domain knowledge to help shape strategic approaches and solutions.
Each Medipro member had personal growth objectives. Mohammed aimed to amplify his
leadership skills. Chong sought to grasp Saudi market nuances as a learning opportunity. Anas
wanted to elevate his technical prowess in online medical collaborations. Ibrahim and Saud hoped
to immerse themselves in medical strategy development.
In Bruce Tuckman’s team-building stages, our initial ‘storming’ phase faced role clarity
issues. However, transparent communication steered us into the ‘norming’ phase, where guidelines
enabled better collaboration (Patterson, 2022). This paved the way for peak ‘performing’ as our
synergy blossomed, aligned with a shared vision of integrating the Chinese medical brand into
Saudi Arabia. Reflecting on the Medipro experience highlighted the need for clear direction, open
dialogue, leveraging strengths, and embracing diverse perspectives when building an effective
virtual
medical
strategy
team.
Virtual Tools
As Medipro aimed to bridge the Chinese medical brands with Saudi Arabia’s healthcare
needs, our virtual collaboration was of paramount importance. We needed reliable tools to enhance
communication, manage tasks, and maintain project timelines. Reflecting on the Medipro
experience showed us the significance of leveraging the right technology to enable clear direction
setting, seamless collaboration, and synthesized diverse perspectives across locations.
Main and Complementary Virtual Tools
Main Tool – Microsoft Teams.
A unified communication and collaboration platform combining chat, video conferencing, file
storage, and integration with other Microsoft 365 apps.
Complementary Tools
Trello
For task management and tracking project progress.
Google Workspace
For real-time collaborative document creation and editing.
Microsoft Teams features
Integrated Chat. Microsoft Teams offers a robust chat function, which has become the mainstay
of our day-to-day communication. What stood out was its ability to facilitate both group
discussions and one-on-one conversations, ensuring that communication was both inclusive and
personalized when needed. Notifications ensured that no message was missed, and the ‘pinning’
feature helped highlight crucial information for easy access (Ilag, 2020).
File Sharing & Collaboration. Microsoft Teams integrated seamlessly with OneDrive and
SharePoint, providing us with a streamlined file storage and sharing solution. Files shared in chats
or channels were automatically stored in a designated location, reducing the clutter and enhancing
organization. Its real-time collaboration feature ensured that multiple team members could work
on a document simultaneously, eliminating redundancies and speeding up the process.
Video Conferencing. Beyond mere textual communication, our team often needed to hold face-toface meetings. The team’s video conferencing solution was adept at this, providing crisp audio-
visual quality and stability. The ‘raise hand’ feature allowed for structured discussions, while screen
sharing ensured that presentations and demonstrations were effectively communicated.
Trello Features
Customizable Boards & Cards. Trello’s visually intuitive boards and card system allowed us to
structure our tasks in a manner most suitable for our project’s needs. Cards could be enriched with
descriptions, checklists, labels, and attachments, offering comprehensive detail at a glance.
Progress Tracking. The drag-and-drop feature to move cards between lists (like ‘To Do’, ‘In
Progress’, and ‘Done’) provided a clear picture of our project’s progress. It enabled real-time
tracking and ensured that any bottlenecks or delays were immediately addressed.
Member Assignment & Notifications. Assigning team members to specific cards ensured clear
responsibility delineation. Coupled with Trello’s notification system, this ensured that members
were promptly informed of any updates or changes related to their tasks (Shchetynina et al., 2022).
Google Workspace Features
Real-Time Collaboration. Google Docs and Sheets, part of Google Workspace, stood out for their
real-time collaborative capabilities. Multiple members could work on a document or spreadsheet
simultaneously. This ensured that brainstorming sessions were dynamic, and collective input was
instantly recorded.
Comments, Suggestions & Version History. Feedback and iterative improvements were crucial
for our tasks. Google Workspace’s ‘Comments’ and ‘Suggestions’ features facilitated this without
altering the original content. Moreover, the ‘Version History’ feature ensured we could always
trace back changes, preserving the sanctity of our work and providing a safety net against any
inadvertent edits (Piatnychuk & Pyatnychuk, 2021). These tools’ features were indispensable in
ensuring that our virtual teamwork was cohesive, efficient, and productive. Their combined
utility addressed various aspects of collaboration, from communication to task management,
making our virtual team’s operations smooth and effective.
Medipro selected Microsoft Teams, Trello, and Google Workspace as our main virtual
collaboration tools due to their combined functionality matching our unique needs, as well as our
prior familiarity with reducing the learning curve. The integrated communication, content
collaboration, and task management capabilities enabled clear direction setting, seamless
teamwork, and synthesized diverse perspectives across locations. ClickUp, Airtable, ProofHub,
Notion, and LiquidPlanner were considered but ultimately passed on. The deciding factors were
Microsoft Teams’ unified platform consolidating communication and collaboration, Trello’s
intuitive task management aligning with our workflow, and Google Workspace’s real-time
document creation for our brainstorming needs. These seamlessly integrated tools provided the
right blend of communication, coordination, and creation capabilities that empowered our virtual
team’s efficiency and cohesion more than the other options we evaluated. Our selections were
optimized for Medipro’s success.
Navigating our tool selection with a SAR 10k budget required strategic allocation to
maximize efficiency without compromising quality. We prioritized tools that offered
comprehensive features under a single subscription. Microsoft Teams, as part of the Microsoft 365
suite, was a value-packed choice costing SAR 3k annually. Its all-in-one communication and
collaboration capabilities eliminated the need for separate chat and conferencing tools. Trello’s
business-class subscription, priced at SAR 2k, provided advanced task management features.
Google Workspace, costing SAR 2.5k, brought collaborative document creation to our toolkit.
This judicious spending totaled SAR 7.5k, preserving SAR 2.5k for any unforeseen requirements,
ensuring we garnered optimal value from our budget.
Our Medipro team adopted a bi-weekly meeting schedule to ensure consistent
communication and progress review. Each 45-minute meeting struck a balance between
comprehensively discussing agenda points while maintaining engagement without veering offtopic or over-consuming time. Meeting minutes serve as our guiding light, crystallizing
discussions into actionable items and ensuring accountability.
By meticulously recording decisions, task assignments, and deadlines, minutes provide a tangible
reference, ensuring no details are lost post-meeting. This aids in tracking progress, holding
members accountable, and identifying roadblocks.
For instance, minutes captured:
Task: Research on drug interactions – Assigned to Chong with a 10-day deadline.
Query: Potential collaboration with local clinics – Anas to reach out and report back next
meeting.
These concise records provide clarity and purpose, steering our team towards focused
execution and goal realization.
Virtual Work Dynamics
Crafting a virtual office for our medicine-focused project wasn’t just about deploying tools;
it was about cultivating a space that felt both professional and collaborative. We used Microsoft
Teams as our primary platform, creating dedicated channels for different aspects of the project –
research, client communication, and strategy development (Stich, 2020). Additionally, we set up
a shared calendar to mark milestones, meeting schedules, and crucial deadlines, ensuring everyone
was on the same page.
Technical Challenges
Despite leveraging top-tier platforms, we encountered various technical challenges:
Connectivity Issues. The virtual environment’s efficiency is heavily reliant on stable internet
connections. Unfortunately, some team members, especially those in remote areas, faced
intermittent disruptions, affecting real-time collaborations.
Integration Hiccups. While tools like Teams offer integration with other software, the initial phase
saw some glitches, especially when trying to sync data from external tools.
Adaptation Curve. Some team members were more tech-savvy than others. This meant spending
additional time training certain members to get them up to speed, which sometimes slowed down
our initial momentum.
Chinese Work Ethics and Culture
As we collaborated closely with a Chinese brand, understanding the nuances of their work
culture was paramount:
Respect for Hierarchy. Chinese work culture places significant emphasis on respecting seniority.
This was evident in meetings where juniors would often wait for seniors to voice their opinions
before chiming in.
The Concept of “Mianzi.” In Chinese culture, preserving one’s dignity or ‘face’ is crucial.
Criticisms were often delivered in private to avoid public embarrassment, and feedback was
usually phrased constructively.
Building Relationships. Before any concrete business discussions, it was essential to establish
trust. We noticed our Chinese counterparts valued initial meetings centered around getting to know
each other, reinforcing the importance of relationship-building in Chinese culture. Creating a
seamless virtual office required more than just technology; it demanded adaptability, cultural
sensitivity, and a commitment to continuous learning and understanding.
On the Medipro team, we recognized early on that vacations and holidays were essential
rhythm markers, providing that vital time for relaxation, cultural celebration, and coming back
with renewed creativity. Rather than hindering our virtual collaboration, we strategically
harmonized these phases into our workflows. When a vacation appeared on the horizon, advance
communication was key. Chong would notify us of his annual Chinese New Year celebrations,
and Anas would plan around the holy month of Ramadan. We ensured coverage by shuffling tasks
amongst us, with Saud reviewing action items to pick up slack during my vacation. An atmosphere
of cultural respect reigned, as we learned to walk in each other’s shoes and support team members’
needs.
Through openness, Mediapro’s diversity became our strength. We maximized productivity
during these periods by advising independent work once interest peaked. Members could research
regulations or brainstorm pricing models from the comfort of their homes. Innovation flourished
too, as the solitude of solo tasks sparked creative insights that we brought back to the collective
table. By embracing vacations and honoring holidays, Medipro didn’t stall. We emerged as
recharged, respectful, and richer in ideas. Our workflows continued unhindered, with each
member’s role valued. Most importantly, bonds grew stronger, knowing this team had each other’s
back, across borders and beliefs.
Communication Challenges
Operating in the virtual space presented Medipro with unique communication hurdles that
we had to adeptly navigate. Physical absence means loss of non-verbal cues that are the pulse of
face-to-face interactions. Without observing Chong’s body language, it was hard for Mohammed
to gauge true alignment on decisions. Were silent nods acquiescence or agreement? We grappled
to find our virtual footing (Morrison-Smith & Ruiz, 2020).
Time differences also tangled our schedules. With members spanning multiple zones,
finding mutually convenient times for meetings was a maze. Oftentimes, Ibrahim or Saud had to
accommodate outside their hours, leading to fatigue and reduced participation. We persistently
searched for our time sweet spot. Our diverse backgrounds also brought rich cultural nuances that
were assets and obstacles alike. Ibrahim’s straightforward Saudi communication style sometimes
clashed with Anas’s indirect, contextual Chinese approach. The meaning was lost in linguistic
translation. We delicately bridged our verbal divides.
Medipro’s virtual path was laden with communication challenges tied to the absence of
physical cues, constraints of time, and our cultural diversity. But we refused to be deterred, instead
consciously curating strategies to listen more intently, find flexibility in scheduling, and build
cross-cultural empathy. We transformed obstacles into opportunities to strengthen our
collaborative pulse.
Overcoming Communication Challenges
Team Manager (Mohammed): I recognized early on the importance of structured communication.
To mitigate space challenges, I introduced bi-weekly video calls, ensuring we retained some faceto-face interaction and could read non-verbal cues for more productive discussions. For time
differences, I established a rotating meeting schedule so no one bore the brunt of inconvenient
timings.
Chinese Brand Representative (Chong): Understanding cultural nuances, I initiated sessions
explaining key Chinese communication styles and etiquette to bridge gaps between expectations
and reality for smoother collaboration.
Technical Analyst (Anas): To address potential technical glitches that might hamper
communication, I provided a repository of troubleshooting guides and regular training sessions to
ensure comfort with our tools, minimizing disruptions.
General Member (Saud): I took the onus of flexibility, often adjusting my schedule to suit the
majority. Additionally, I maintained an open communication channel, providing feedback and
voicing concerns for clarity and alignment with team objectives.
Each Medipro member’s proactive approach, coupled with collective understanding,
played a pivotal role in overcoming the inherent challenges of virtual communication.
Reports and presentations
Saudi Arabia’s pharmaceutical sector is rapidly expanding, driven by a rising population,
world-class healthcare infrastructure, and substantial government investments. Per the Saudi
Ministry of Health, the market is projected to surpass SAR 40 billion by 2025, representing a 6.3%
annual growth rate. This presents a promising opportunity for international pharmaceutical
companies, provided they craft targeted Saudi-centric strategies.
Brief Strategy
Our Medipro team conducted in-depth research to inform an effective Saudi launch
strategy for a Chinese pharmaceutical brand. Two key insights emerged:
•
Resonate with the Youth
Over 63% of the Kingdom’s population is under 30 years old. This group is shaping Saudi’s
health landscape with their technology-immersed lifestyles and demand for holistic wellness
solutions. Catering to their preferences is crucial for any pharmaceutical brand’s success. Our
research shows conditions like anxiety, stress, and obesity are on the rise among Saudi youth,
driven by economic transformations, highlighting the need for innovative healthcare approaches
(Al-Khraif et al., 2022).
•
Embrace Digital Channels
With a staggering 93% internet penetration rate, Saudis are highly engaged online across
social media, web videos, and e-commerce. Platforms like Snapchat boast 15 million local users,
while the average Saudi spends 5 hours daily on YouTube alone. Harnessing these digital channels
by creating tailored Arabic content is instrumental for visibility and connecting with the Kingdom’s
digitally-driven populace.
Proposed Launch Strategy
•
Conduct in-depth localized market research to identify key health conditions and wellness
interests among Saudi consumers.
•
Partner with Saudi social media influencers, like nutritionist Dr. Reem of Holistic Health
KSA and fitness coach Ali to direct their millions of followers to the brand.
•
Initiate digital marketing campaigns focused on youth-centric platforms like Snapchat and
TikTok to build engagement.
•
Develop Arabic packaging, branding assets, and health condition content to emotionally
resonate with Saudi consumers.
•
Host educational workshops in collaboration with leading hospitals like Dr. Sulaiman Al
Anas Medical Group and King Faisal Specialist Hospital to establish credibility.
•
Secure partnerships with major pharmacy chains like Nahdi, with over 370 branches, to
ensure product availability across Saudi.
•
Participate in high-profile health & wellness exhibitions like Arabia Health to gain
visibility among healthcare networks and consumers.
Saudi Pharmaceutical Market Statistics
Medipro team’s in-depth analysis of the Saudi pharma market and demographic trends
concludes that both offline and digital strategies must work cohesively for a Chinese brand to gain
a competitive edge. By blending data-driven digital engagement with strategic on-ground activities
focused on trust and experience, significant mind and market share can be secured in the highpotential Kingdom.
Feedback
Chinese Brand Representative (Chong): “The strategy paints a clear picture of the market
potential. However, considering the stringent regulations around pharmaceutical advertisements
in Saudi Arabia, how do we ensure that our digital campaigns adhere to local norms?”
Team’s Response
Team Manager (Mohammed): “Chong’s observation is critical. To address this, we will
collaborate with local regulatory consultants, ensuring that all our campaigns are compliant while
still being impactful.”
Technical Analyst (Anas): “I’ll develop a checks-and-balances system, integrated with the
Saudi pharmaceutical advertising guidelines, to review and approve all digital content.”
General Member (Saud): “To further assuage concerns, we can initiate a pilot campaign,
gathering feedback and making necessary adjustments before a full-fledged roll-out.”
General Member ( Ibrahim ): Together, the Medipro team acknowledges the importance of
cultural and regulatory sensitivities and is geared to address them meticulously.
In reflecting upon our journey as a virtual team, I can confidently say that our experience
was both enriching and challenging. Collaborating across different roles, cultures, and time zones
provided us with unique insights and broadened our perspectives. However, it wasn’t without its
hitches; from initial communication barriers to aligning our understanding of the Saudi
pharmaceutical market. If given another chance, I’d emphasize even earlier the importance of
setting clear roles and expectations, as well as ensuring we’re always aligned with local norms and
regulations. Our growth was palpable; from those initial days of uncertainty, we moved to a space
of collaborative synergy. Looking ahead, armed with the lessons from this project, I’m optimistic
about our team’s potential. We’re now more equipped to face challenges head-on, adapt quickly,
and above all, always prioritize understanding and collaboration. The future is bright, and we’re
ready for what’s next.
References
Ilag, B. N. (2020). Understanding Microsoft Teams Administration. Apress.
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4842-5875-0
Shchetynina, O., Kravchenko, N., Horbatiuk, L., Alieksieieva, H., & Mezhuyev, V. (2022).
Trello as a Tool for the Development of Lifelong Learning Skills of Senior
Students. Postmodern Openings, 13(2), 143-167.
https://www.lumenpublishing.com/journals/index.php/po/article/view/4927
Piatnychuk, I., & Pyatnychuk, H. (2021). Modern information technologies and services in
public institutions. Journal of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, 8(3),
43-51. https://scijournals.pnu.edu.ua/index.php/jpnu/article/view/5442
Patterson, D. (2022). 4.6. In-depth Look: Tuckman’s Model–Five Stages of Team
Development. Strategic Project Management: Theory and Practice for Human Resource
Professionals.
https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/hrstrategicprojectmanagementtheory/chapter/4-6in-depth-look-tuckmans-model-five-stages-of-team-development/
Morrison-Smith, S., & Ruiz, J. (2020). Challenges and barriers in virtual teams: a literature
review. SN Applied Sciences, 2, 1-33. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42452020-2801-5
Stich, J. F. (2020). A review of workplace stress in the virtual office. Intelligent Buildings
International, 12(3), 208-220.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17508975.2020.1759023
Al-Khraif, R. M., Salam, A. A., & Rashid, M. F. A. (2022). Demographic dividend in Saudi
Arabia: From age structural changes to economic gains. Journal of Economics and
Management, 44(1), 19-37. https://sciendo.com/article/10.22367/jem.2022.44.02.
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