Group Dynamics in Collocated and Virtual Teams

Abstract

本研究以問卷方式收集共104筆來自台灣不同產業的工作團隊資料，包含53筆虛擬與51筆實體二種類型的工作團隊，以檢驗信任對團隊類型－衝突關係的中介角色，並探討團隊成員間共享的團隊認同對團隊類型－信任關係的調節角色是否存在。研究發現，相較於實體工作團隊，虛擬工作團隊有較高的團隊衝突與較低的團隊信任和團隊認同。其次，本研究發現團隊信任能顯著中介團隊類型與團隊衝突的關餘，亦即，虛擬工作團隊的低團隊信任程度會形成該團隊較高的團隊衝突，而團隊認同的調節效果在本研究中並未獲得支持。除此，團隊成立時間長短或團隊性質（暫時性團隊或永久性團隊）並未造成團隊信任或團隊衝突的顯著差異;但團隊規模大小則與團隊信任或團隊衝突有顯著關聯，亦即當團隊人數增加時成員間的信任程度會下降，且團隊內衝突會升高。因此本研究建議，隨著組織中虛擬團隊運作模式的普及，虛擬團隊領導者應控制團隊人數規模，若團隊規模漸大時，管理者應建立頻繁且方便使用的溝通機制以增強團隊內的有效溝通，籍以建立團隊成員間的信任與團隊認同，以降低團隊衝突。

This study analyzed the results of survey data from 104 teams, including 53 virtual teams and 51 collocated teams, across various industries in Taiwan. The aims of this study were to examine empirically the proposed model a) with trust as the mediator of the team type-conflict relation and b) with shared team identity as the moderator of the team type-trust relation. Our study found, first, that the virtual teams, compared with collocated teams, experienced less shared team identity and less trust in team members, and exhibited a higher level of conflict within the team. Second, this study confirmed that trust in team members is a significant mediator between team type and conflict. Third, the significant moderating role of shared team identity, however, was not found. Fourth, among three control variables, this study found that team size has a significant association with trust in team members and conflict within the team. This result indicates that, as the team size increases, trust in team members will weaken as well as that more team conflict will emerge. Managers of a virtual team should constrain the team size so that the negative effects of large group size can be controlled. If a large team size is inevitable, team leaders should implement managerial interventions. Among all, building convenient communication channels to enhance frequent and effective intra-group communication so as to facilitate the development of trust in team and shared team identity is a plausible option. The managerial implications and discussion of the research limitations of this study conclude the paper.