SEMESTER I (Academic year 2022-2023)

Management I

Topic-“Role of Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality to facilitate

teamwork in Covid-19 times”

SUBMITTED TO:
Dr. Karishma Desai
Assistant Professor
NMIMS Kirit P Mehta School of Law

SUBMITTED BY:
Meet Shah
BBA.LLB (Hons). Div E
Roll no-E012
Role of Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality to facilitate teamwork
in Covid-19 times

Abstract

Purpose-To study the role of augmented reality & Virtual reality to facilitate teamwork in
Covid-19 times. Research Implication- This paper is useful for all board directors and CEOs as
it tells them about the latest technologies and how they helped employees during the pandemic.
Research Methodology- The research conducted a study of secondary data which included
Scopus journals. Findings- Virtual Reality is defined by Mana Farshid, Jeannette Paschen,
Theresa Eriksson, and Jan Kietzmann as “Virtual Reality is a complete representation of the
actual world.” Augmented reality is defined by Mana Farshid, Jeannette Paschen, Theresa
Eriksson, and Jan Kietzmann as “Augmented Reality is the information and data overlaid on top
of the actual world.” These are the latest set of technology developed by human beings. These
technologies helped a lot of people survive the pandemic. They made people feel that they
belonged somewhere. For others, it helped them reduce their tension. Many people also added
new weapons to their armoury by educating themselves with the help of these technologies. Like
any human invention, they are only invented when they are most required and the same is true
for these technologies also.

Keywords: Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Teamwork

Introduction

Every 15 years a new computing platform is developed. In these 15 years, computing programs
like Augmented reality and Virtual reality have been developed. The most interesting and
existing plans for the future platforms mainly revolve around a vision which was created to
enhance the immersive experience that one experiences when new computing programs are
developed. (Ghaliya Al Farsi, Azmi bin Mohd. Yusof, Awanis Romli, Ragad M Tawafak, Sohail
Iqbal Malik, Jasiya Jabbar, Mohd Ezanee Bin Rsuli, 2021) Many of the current technological
advancements were first thought of in science fiction which was born from the ideas of futurists
who let their minds wander and let their minds run wild as they pictured what the world would
look like in a few years. (Mana Farshid, Jeannette Paschen, Theresa Eriksson, Jan Kietzmann,
2018)
Augmented reality is defined as “The concept of digitally superimposing virtual objects onto
physical objects in real space so individuals can interact with both at the same time” by Dimitrios
Chytas Elizabeth O. Johnson, Maria Piagkou, Antonios Mazarakis, George C. Babis, Efstathios
Chronopoulos, Vasileios S. Nikolaou, Nikolaos Lazaridis, Konstantinos Natsis. In 1997,
augmented reality was identified as a system that combines real and virtual things. This was
identified by Ronald Azuma (Kraus, N.M., Kraus, K.M., and Andrusiak, N.O, 2020)

Virtual Reality is defined as “Virtual Reality is a complete representation of the actual world” by
Mana Farshid, Jeannette Paschen, Theresa Eriksson, and Jan Kietzmann. Paul Milgram and
Fumio Kishio interpreted virtual reality as a space between reality and virtually (Kraus, N.M.,
Kraus, K.M., and Andrusiak, N.O, 2020)
The ability to work in collaboration with a computer broadens the horizon of what is possible in
a workplace, as augmented reality can change the reality that we experience in multiple ways. (
P. Vávra, J. Roman, P. Zonča, P. Ihnát, M. Němec, J. Kumar, N. Habib, and A. El-Gend, 2017)
Augmented reality technology is growing together with various types of hardware, especially
after the development of various types of smart devices and gadgets.( Mohd Fadzil Abdul Hanid,
Mohd. Nihra Haruzuan Mohamad Said, Noraffandy Yahaya, 2020)
The main difference between augmented reality and virtual reality is in the definition. In virtual
reality, everything is done on a computer or computerised environment whereas augmented
reality is a mixture of real life and some computerised elements. (Dimitrios Chytas Elizabeth O.
Johnson, Maria Piagkou, Antonios Mazarakis, George C. Babis, Efstathios Chronopoulos,
Vasileios S. Nikolaou, Nikolaos Lazaridis, Konstantinos Natsis, 2019)
The main reason for these technologies to be used in various fields such as medicine, factories
and offices is due to it the availability of low-cost handheld devices which have many innovative
features that allow the deployment of AR-based applications. (Carlos Delgado-Kloos, María-
Blanca Ibáñez, 2018)
Effective team-based and teamwork care improve the overall effectiveness across a wide range
of fields like medical care of patients, doing the work optimally and making a profit for the
organisation. (Lisa Lim, Craig M. Zimring, Jennifer R. DuBose, Jaehoon Lee, Robert J. Stroebel
and Marc R. Matthews, 2021)
Research Objective

1) To analyze the disruptive role of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in vuca times
2) To study the implications of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in fostering
teamwork during Covid-19

Research Question

1) Did Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality have an impact on teamwork?

Hypothesis

H0: There is not a significant impact of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality on Teamwork
during covid-19.

H1: There is a significant impact of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality on Teamwork
during covid-19.

Research Methodology

This study was based on the review of literature from a broad range of research papers on
Augmented and Virtual reality. The data was collected from secondary sources only. The
number of sources referred to includes Google Scholar, Scopus Journal, and Emerald. All the
articles were analyzed and used in the study. No primary data has been utilized for this research.

Hypothesis-Based Literature review-:

1) Al Farsi, G., Yusof, A. B. M., Romli, A., Tawafak, R. M., Malik, S. I., Jabbar, J., & Bin
Rsuli, M. E. (2021). A Review of Virtual Reality Applications in an Educational Domain.
International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies.- The researcher used secondary
data to write their research paper. The findings of the researchers are that the people who
want to learn do not like the traditional methods of learning and teaching. They want a
 new and innovative way of learning. They are more engaged in these types of methods of
learning. In one of the research papers that the researchers reviewed they conducted a
poll in which they saw that 72% of the people who participated in the poll wanted to
learn via new methods like VR. The animation usage behaviour of the people wanting to
learn increased the learner innovation skills. Thus, the top-level management decides to
use virtual reality for its employees during their training. This way the employees know
that their opinion and ideas will be heard by the top-level management hence increasing
their trust in them which in turn would improve the confidence and teamwork of the
group.
2) Jeong, H., Singh, A., Kim, M., & Johnson, A. (2020). Using Augmented Reality to Assist
Seated Office Workers’ Data Entry Tasks. 2020 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and
3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops (VRW)- The researchers used primary data
to reach their findings. The findings of the researcher are that offices use augmented
reality for Data Entry Tasks. For this project, they have developed an interface which is
designed to facilitate the transition between the 2 steps including typing the data and
reading the data into a computer system with the help of a keyboard. In most offices,
most workers get jobs in which they have to sit in a chair for a long time. Most of the
time they are doing data entry work. In data entry the person has to follow 2 steps i) to
take the handwritten data from the paper documents and ii) to enter the data on the paper
document into the system using a keyboard and a mouse. This is a very monotonous task.
Due to the stress and loss of concentration the employees make 2 mistakes. I) due to loss
of concentration they input the wrong numbers or wrong names and make typographical
errors. For this work, the employee has to continuously look up at the screen and down at
the desk. The repetitive movement causes the neck and shoulders to stiffen up which
harms their movement. Being continuously seeing the computer causes them to have
visual problems. Therefore, when the top-level management introduced AR technology to
help them with data entry the employees were very happy as they felt that the top-level
management was paying heed to their problems and was trying to find solutions for their
problems. This increased the willingness of the employees to spend more time during
lockdown to work for the company and even though not seeing their colleagues every day
they had confidence in them that they were doing the same hours of work as them.
 Hence, introducing AR technology increased the harmony and teamwork among the
people who were doing the job of data entry during the pandemic.

3) Hanid, M. F. A., Said, M. N. H. M., & Yahaya, N. (2020). Learning strategies using
augmented reality technology in education: meta-analysis. Universal Journal of
Educational Research - The findings of the researcher were that the learning environment
is undergoing a huge change with the advent of the industrial revolution 4.0. There are 4
key learning strategies of augmented reality.
i) The learning should be interactive
ii) The learning should be done by making the employees play games
iii) There should be a collaborative learning
iv) The last way should be via experiential learning

The above methods are very useful in making the learners understand the topic. Due to
the pandemic, every training session was held online. Many times in online training due
to internet issues the employees could not attend the training but because of the AR
method, they could attend them easily. This gesture of the company made the employees
feel a sense of belonging in the company. They felt valued when for their benefit the
company made changes to how they used to do business. Thus, they started to listen to
what their seniors would say thus, improving the way the work was delegated. Therefore,
improving the teamwork within the organisation.

4) Naranjo, J. E., Sanchez, D. G., Robalino-Lopez, A., Robalino-Lopez, P., Alarcon-Ortiz,

A., & Garcia, M. V. (2020). A scoping review on virtual reality-based industrial training.
Applied Sciences- The researchers used the secondary data method to reach their
findings. The researchers have defined virtual reality as a virtual recreation of the world.
Training which is held via VR reduces training times, prevents errors, and even improves
the quality of the products. VR systems were the first video game systems. Training in
industries should be a process which is continuous and regularly updated. It should
include an efficient process to obtain workers with skills which are necessary for a
company to grow. Since the training is regularly updated and new practices are being
followed to teach them. There are things, techniques and tricks which some people in the
 team would learn whereas others would know what was done earlier. The lockdowns
could have easily stopped all the training sessions but due to VR technology firms could
conduct training sessions which would improve the artillery of the firm. Thus, the co-
workers would have to learn new tricks from each other. This would increase the respect
that one worker would have for other. In a way improving the teamwork of the group.

5) Yin, J., Yuan, J., Arfaei, N., Catalano, P. J., Allen, J. G., & Spengler, J. D. (2020). Effects
of biophilic indoor environment on stress and anxiety recovery: A between-subjects
experiment in virtual reality. Environment International- The findings of the researcher
are that people living in urban areas are used to working for long hours of a day, having
tight deadlines and heavy workload. Technology helped them during the pandemic.
Everybody was in their homes working from different corners of the world and at
different times. The VR technology helped relieve the stress of the people as a lot of the
work was done by the technology. It had voice recognition so if the employees would
need to send an email he only needed to give a command. Thus, reducing the work that
the employee has to do. Since the work is less he is under less tension and stress they
would not have an unnecessary outburst, anyone. Thus, having a smooth personal life
while living at home with family. If a subordinate has forgotten to do a job the superior
would not fly off the handle as he is in a good frame of mind. Therefore, the people
would like to work for the organization at odd hours also. The teamwork would improve
as everyone would be on the same page and wavelength, Thus, the work happens quickly
and without any hiccups.

Limitations

This research was based on the research done by other people. To find data connecting both
spheres of the study was not easy to find as I was using primary data. The duration to do the
research was also very little as only 30 days were given to write this research paper .
Discussion

A huge range of AR technology has been used to assist human tasks in the domains of education
and manufacturing. (Heejin Jeong, Ankit Singh, Myunghee Kim, and Andrew Johnson, 2020) A
test was conducted by the researchers in the engineering department after they had a training
session which was in VR form. The study showed that the people who had attended the VR
version of the training session achieved a higher level of success rate in fixing the problem than
the other set of people who sat in a traditional training session. The study highlighted that the
new method of training can impact rehabilitation, self-efficacy and facilitating conditions which
help to build confidence. The VR method of holding training sessions gives people with
disabilities and other learning disorders a chance to study and learn at their own pace(Ghaliya Al
Farsi, Azmi bin Mohd. Yusof, Awanis Romli, Ragad M Tawafak, Sohail Iqbal Malik, Jasiya
Jabbar, Mohd Ezanee Bin Rsuli. 2021). Researchers, developers and educators are showing an
increasing interest in using AR and VR technology in the field of education (M. Raja, G.G.
Lakshmi Priya, 2021). The technology of Augmented reality allows its user to interact with
virtual objects that have been integrated into the real world and appear in the same place in real
life also. The researcher found that in a previous study that was conducted. In the study, it was
found that the results of spatial and cognitive learning using the AR method are influenced by the
learning strategies that have been implemented (Mohd Fadzil Abdul Hanid, Mohd. Nihra
Haruzuan Mohamad Said, Noraffandy Yahaya, 2020). Many people had burnout issues but these
technologies helped them out (Chelsie Monroe, Figaro Loresto, Sara Horton-Deutsch, Cathryn
Kleiner, Kathryn Eron, Robert Varney, Stephanie Grimm, 2020)
During the research, I found many things that I didn’t know. The pandemic had a huge impact on
the world and especially on people who had a job or were recently starting a business. The
pandemic posed a lot of problems in front of them but all the problem answer was technology.
AR and VR technology which is the latest form of technology developed by humans has helped
people out during the lockdown. It enabled people to keep on learning. It relieved some pressure
and stress from the people who were working for more than 10 hours a day. It improved their
mental health. It gave the employees a sense of togetherness during a time of pain and struggle
for the world.
As mentioned in the first paragraph that technology helped people to improve their skills during
the pandemic. People were sitting at home and upgrading themselves whereas some people used
technology to improve their mental health. The papers that I have read didn’t include the part
about how technology improved people's mental health.

Conclusion

In the current era, the use of technology has increased by leaps and bounds and has also revealed
a great range of applications. One of the most recent innovations in the technological sphere is
the invention of augmented reality and virtual reality. AR and VR are used in many different
spheres of work. Both methods are used in hospitals for surgeries and to help people with ASD,
it helps foster teamwork in organisations and helps people understand situations that they may be
in during which a wrong decision was taken. (Gonzalo Lorenzo Lledó, Alejandro Lorenzo Lledó,
Asunción Lledó and Elena Perez Vazquez, 2020) The use of these methods for learning
influences the engagement and performers of the people who want to learn. (Ghaliya Al Farsi,
Azmi bin Mohd. Yusof, Awanis Romli, Ragad M Tawafak, Sohail Iqbal Malik, Jasiya Jabbar,
Mohd Ezanee Bin Rsuli.2021) The development of technologies like AR and VR could be a
problem solver for various offices, it could save lives and at the same time educate people
(Heejin Jeong, Ankit Singh, Myunghee Kim, and Andrew Johnson, 2021). The technologies used
especially augmented reality and virtual reality must be properly integrated with proper learning
strategies for them to make an impact on the way the employees learn (Mohd Fadzil Abdul
Hanid, Mohd. Nihra Haruzuan Mohamad Said, Noraffandy Yahaya, 2020). AR and VR
technologies have the potential to improve the skills that a worker needs to have to be considered
efficient within the company (Jose E. Naranjo, Diego G. Sanchez, Angel Robalino-Lopez, Paola
Robalino-Lopez, Andrea Alarcon-Ortiz and Marcelo V. Garcia, 2020)

References
1) Al Farsi, G., Yusof, A. B. M., Romli, A., Tawafak, R. M., Malik, S. I., Jabbar, J., & Bin
Rsuli, M. E. (2021). A Review of Virtual Reality Applications in an Educational Domain.
International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies, 15(22).
2) Chytas, D., Johnson, E. O., Piagkou, M., Mazarakis, A., Babis, G. C., Chronopoulos, E.,
Natsis, K. (2020). The role of augmented reality in anatomical education: an overview.
Annals of Anatomy - Anatomischer Anzeiger, 151463. doi:10.1016/j.aanat.2020.151463
3) Farshid, M., Paschen, J., Eriksson, T., & Kietzmann, J. (2018). Go boldly! Business
Horizons. doi:10.1016/j.bushor.2018.05.009
4) Hanid, M. F. A., Said, M. N. H. M., & Yahaya, N. (2020). Learning strategies using
augmented reality technology in education: meta-analysis. Universal Journal of
Educational Research, 8(5A), 51-56.
5) Ibáñez, M.-B., & Delgado-Kloos, C. (2018). Augmented reality for STEM learning: A
systematic review. Computers & Education, 123, 109–123.
doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2018.05.002
6) Jeong, H., Singh, A., Kim, M., & Johnson, A. (2020). Using Augmented Reality to Assist
Seated Office Workers’ Data Entry Tasks. 2020 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and
3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops (VRW). doi:10.1109/vrw50115.2020.00065
7) Kraus, K., & Kraus, N. (2020). Digital cubic space as a new economic augmented reality.
Sci. innov. 16(3), 92-105.
8) Lim, L., Zimring, C. M., DuBose, J. R., Lee, J., Stroebel, R. J., & Matthews, M. R.
(2021). Designing for effective and safe multidisciplinary primary care teamwork: Using
the time of COVID-19 as a case study. International Journal of Environmental Research
and Public Health, 18(16), 8758.
9) Lorenzo Lledó, G., Lorenzo Lledó, A., Lledó, A., & Pérez-Vázquez, E. (2020). The Use
of Augmented Reality in People with ASD: A Review. International Journal of
Disability, Development and Education, 1–15. doi:10.1080/1034912x.2020.1846688
10) Lorenzo, Lorenzo-Lledó, A., Lledó, A., & Pérez-Vázquez, E. (2020). Application of
virtual reality in people with ASD from 1996 to 2019. Journal of Enabling Technologies,
14(2), 99–114. https://doi.org/10.1108/jet-01-2020-0005
11) Monroe, C., Loresto, F., Horton-Deutsch, S., Kleiner, C., Eron, K., Varney, R., &
Grimm, S. (2021). The value of intentional self-care practices: The effects of mindfulness
on improving job satisfaction, teamwork, and workplace environments. Archives of
Psychiatric Nursing, 35(2), 189–194. doi:10.1016/j.apnu.2020.10.003
12) Naranjo, J. E., Sanchez, D. G., Robalino-Lopez, A., Robalino-Lopez, P., Alarcon-Ortiz,
A., & Garcia, M. V. (2020). A scoping review on virtual reality-based industrial training.
Applied Sciences, 10(22), 8224.
13) Raja, M., & Priya, G. G. (2021). Conceptual Origins, Technological Advancements, and
Impacts of Using Virtual Reality Technology in Education. Webology, 18(2).
14) Vávra, P., Roman, J., Zonča, P., Ihnát, P., Němec, M., Kumar, J El-Gendi, A. (2017).
Recent Development of Augmented Reality in Surgery: A Review. Journal of Healthcare
Engineering, 2017, 1–9. doi:10.1155/2017/4574172
15) Yin, J., Yuan, J., Arfaei, N., Catalano, P. J., Allen, J. G., & Spengler, J. D. (2020). Effects
of biophilic indoor environment on stress and anxiety recovery: A between-subjects
experiment in virtual reality. Environment International, 136, 105427.
doi:10.1016/j.envint.2019.105427