TY - JOUR
T1 - Virtual teams and group member dissimilarity
T2 - Consequences for the development of trust
AU - Krebs, Scott A.
AU - Hobman, Elizabeth V.
AU - Bordia, Prashant
PY - 2006/12
Y1 - 2006/12
N2 - The consequences of demographic dissimilarity for group trust in work teams was examined in a virtual (computer-mediated) and a face-to-face (FTF) environment. Demographic dissimilarity (based on age, gender, country of birth, enrolled degree) was predicted to be negatively associated with group trust in the FTF environment but not in the computer-mediated environment. Participants worked in small groups on a creative task for 3 consecutive days. In the computer-mediated environment, participants worked on the task for an hour per day. In the FTF environment, participants worked on the task for 20 minutes per day. Partial support was found for the effectiveness of computer-mediated groups in reducing the negative consequences of dissimilarity. Age dissimilarity was negatively related to trust in FTF groups but not in computer-mediated groups. Birthplace dissimilarity was positively related to trust in computer-mediated groups. Implications for the successful management of virtual teams are discussed.
AB - The consequences of demographic dissimilarity for group trust in work teams was examined in a virtual (computer-mediated) and a face-to-face (FTF) environment. Demographic dissimilarity (based on age, gender, country of birth, enrolled degree) was predicted to be negatively associated with group trust in the FTF environment but not in the computer-mediated environment. Participants worked in small groups on a creative task for 3 consecutive days. In the computer-mediated environment, participants worked on the task for an hour per day. In the FTF environment, participants worked on the task for 20 minutes per day. Partial support was found for the effectiveness of computer-mediated groups in reducing the negative consequences of dissimilarity. Age dissimilarity was negatively related to trust in FTF groups but not in computer-mediated groups. Birthplace dissimilarity was positively related to trust in computer-mediated groups. Implications for the successful management of virtual teams are discussed.
KW - Computer-mediated communication
KW - Diversity
KW - Trust
KW - Virtual teams
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33750892920&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1046496406294886
DO - 10.1177/1046496406294886
M3 - Article
SN - 1046-4964
VL - 37
SP - 721
EP - 741
JO - Small Group Research
JF - Small Group Research
IS - 6
ER -