Trust in global virtual project teams : a framework integrating diversity within project teams and communication media.

Abstract

Global Virtual Project Teams (GVPTs) have grown to be an attractive choice of work team in corporations. GVPTs are characterized by heterogeneous membership and the distribution of members across several nations. Due to geographical constraints, members interact through Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) rather than Face-To-Face (FTF). However, this shift in communication medium poses a major challenge for GVPTs. Trust formation becomes an issue because the computer-mediated environments restrict traditional social monitoring mechanisms such as social cues. Moreover, trust is essential in all relationships and is important to the success of GVPTs. This paper outlines the formation of trust in GVPTs and discusses the effect of two main characteristics of GVPTs – features of communication media and types of diversity – on trust formation. Communication media is varied in terms of synchronicity and availability of cues, and diversity included demographic, informational and value diversity. Based on how trust formation is affected by the two major characteristics of GVPTs, implications and solutions to the challenges GVPTs face in trust formation are discussed.

Keywords: Global Virtual Project Teams, Trust, Computer-mediated Communication, Diversity