Virtual Team Effectiveness and Sequence of Conditions

Date

2013

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Clute Institute

Abstract

This study examines the sequence of Group Task Pressure (GTP) and communication medium conditions on group effectiveness. It contributes to the task-technology fit research by considering the sequence of these conditions on task-technology fit related to group effectiveness. The study has value for professionals pursuing the construction and management of virtual teams. A pilot experiment was conducted using 22 subjects in eight groups with a mixed 2x2 design. Given the sample size, the study is more descriptive than inferential. The study manipulated GTP by combinations of time scarcity, reward and task complexity. The media conditions used in the study were face-to-face and synchronous computer-mediated chats. Group effectiveness was measured by the length of time groups took to complete assigned tasks. The four study conditions were: a simple task completed face-to-face, a simple task completed in a computer-mediated condition, a complex task completed in a face-to-face condition and a complex task in a computer-mediated condition. Each group was rotated through all the conditions. The sequence of communication medium conditions were significant, but not the sequence of GTP conditions. Groups starting in the face-to-face condition took less time to complete their rotation of tasks than groups starting in the computer-mediated condition. Groups starting in both the low and high GTP conditions took the same amount of time to complete the full rotation of task and conditions. Recommendations for subsequent research on group task pressure are presented.

Description

Keywords

Virtual Work, Virtual Teams, Team Performance, Group Work, Computer Mediated Communication, Collaboration, Group Effectiveness, Time Pressure

Citation

Olson, J., Olson, L. (2013). Virtual team effectiveness and sequence of conditions. International Journal of Management and Information Systems. (17)1, 1-12.

DOI