Study of research virtual teams in the higher education: qualitative case study

In fact, role of research virtual teams in knowledge creation is very important., the present research seeks to explore how knowledge creation is based on the development of virtual research teams. The method of qualitative research is based on a case study. Data collection tools were semi-structured interviews. In order to collect information, using a targeted sampling method, 26 faculty members with technical and engineering experience with membership in virtual research teams from three universities in Shiraz, Tehran and Sharif Industrial Company was interviewed as the three top universities in the country. Then, the data was analyzed using the NVIVO software through thematic analysis fan and was organized in the form of comprehensive themes, organized themes and basic themes. Based on the result, the virtual research teams (comprehensive themes) have goals, strategies, requirement, negative atmosphere of participation and function(organized themes). each of which has different dimensions(basic themes).