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[Effects of task interdependence and communication technologies synchrony on performance in virtual teams]
Ramón Rico1, Susan G Cohen, Francisco Gil
1Faculty of Psychology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain. ramon.rico@uam.es
Psicothema
|February 14, 2007
Summary
Virtual team performance depends on matching task needs with communication tools. Task interdependence moderates how communication synchrony impacts virtual team success.
Area of Science:
- Information Systems
- Organizational Behavior
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Virtual teams (VTs) are increasingly prevalent in global organizations.
- Understanding factors influencing VT performance is critical for organizational success.
- The interplay between task characteristics and communication technology is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of task interdependence and communication synchrony on VT performance.
- To examine the moderating role of task interdependence in the relationship between communication synchrony and performance.
Main Methods:
- Survey data collected from 197 employees across 41 work groups in a multinational software firm.
- Statistical analyses used to assess the relationships between task interdependence, communication synchrony, and team performance.
Main Results:
- Task interdependence significantly moderated the impact of communication synchrony on VT performance.
- Optimal VT performance requires a congruence between task interdependence levels and the synchrony of communication modalities.
- Findings extend previous research on task-technology fit to real-world organizational teams.
Conclusions:
- The effectiveness of communication technologies in VTs is task-dependent.
- Managers should align communication tools with the level of task interdependence to enhance team performance.
- This study provides empirical evidence for task-technology interaction in natural organizational settings.
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