The Effect of Task Design, Team Characteristics, Organizational Context and Team Processes on the Performance and Attitudes of Virtual Team Members

Based on Cohen's model of traditional teams, the effectiveness of members of six virtual teams were investigated. Case studies in three different industries were conducted. Thirty-nine team members, along with the teams' manager/sponsor, were interviewed. Previously published analysis of this data investigated patterns between various team input factors and the resultant virtual team member attitudes (i.e., satisfaction and motivation). In this study, the relationship between input factors and a team member's perception of team performance was examined. Positive patterns were found between team performance and interpersonal skills, team size, team turnover, team potency, team spirit, and innovations. In order to fully understand virtual team effectiveness, the results of both this performance study and the previous attitudes study are discussed. Taken as a whole, this research program has important implications for organizations with virtual teams and the researchers who study this new work.