Leadership style effect on virtual team efficiency: trust, operational cohesion and media richness roles

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to explain the effect of leadership styles on a virtual team efficiency, assuming the existence of mediating variables (media richness) influencing this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected within the framework of an online survey based on a sample of 300 observations (MENA region) with respondents from the IT sector. These results were generated by SPSS and AMOS 23 software and treated using an exploratory factor analysis and modeling by structural equation.FindingsThe results of the research attest that trust and operational cohesion play a mediating role between leadership styles and team performance. They also confirm that leadership styles impact operational cohesion and group trust according to different levels of media richness, thus creating different situations fluctuating according to its level.Research limitations/implicationsFrom a methodological point of view, the sample choice was not diversified. Only the IT companies are concerned with this study. Therefore, the generalization of obtained results can be questioned. The research results could be refined by trying to highlight trust mediating variable through antecedents evoked by Mayer et al. (1995) or Williams (2001), namely, competence, benevolence or even integrity. Competence and benevolence deserve, on the conceptual plan, to be fully integrated to the definition itself of trust under penalty of see the concept itself of trust impoverish considerably (Mayer et al., 1995).Practical implicationsOn a practical level, the optimal efficiency of a virtual team depends on a high level of media richness with a transformational leadership mobilized by the managers that would favor a good operational cohesion of the group. Various techniques could be employed to improve a social dynamic of the group (periodic conference calls, face to face meetings, team building).Originality/valueThis research clarifies how leadership styles influence virtual team efficiency through operational cohesion and trust. Furthermore, this research reaffirms, in addition from previous works, that the communication means to which virtual teams recur influence the degree of operating cohesion and increase that of performance.

Trust in Leader as a Psychological Factor on Employee and Organizational Outcome

“…This virtual era has aided firms to become more resilient, and flexible to meet the demands of market and thus, a leadership style that is adequate for this instance is referred to as E-leadership or virtual leadership. The concept can be explained as a means of being influential on behavior, attitude, thoughts and feelings, and performance of workforce through the medium of technology [37]. E-leaders have to overcome the challenges of this modern and advanced working environment.…”

“…This lack leads to decreased trust, which e-leaders must control through collective identity and proper communication means for their teams. Thus, e-leaders endeavor to establish a common meaning and perspective so that trust is enhanced [37]. In this sense, a number of factors are influential on trust in virtual teams such as, time, culture, geographical proximity and interactions that can be both online and face-to-face.…”

“…Leaders use different means of technology to provide feedback, signals and messages through an integrated format and tailored tones for each individual in the team. This is referred to as media richness that is a moderating factor for e-leaders in online settings of work, and its efficiency that is based on trust and cohesion [37].…”

The Influence of Pandemic Leadership on Organizational Citizenship Behavior Among Nurses: The Mediating Role of Cohesion

“…Cohesion has been an essential indicator of organizational citizenship behaviour in the healthcare context (Woolley, 2016). Furthermore, some empirical researchers discovered that cohesion mediates the relationship between leadership style and efficiency (Ben et al, 2021) and innovation (Joris and Bram, 2021).…”

Liderando Equipes À Distância Uma Contextualização Necessária Sobre Liderança Remota E Equipes Virtuais

“…Quanto ao estilo de liderança, a literatura não aponta um que seja o mais adequado para as equipes virtuais. Entretanto, alguns autores sugerem que os líderes com perfil transformacional podem obter bons resultados nesse tipo de equipe, embora o impacto do líder transformacional sobre a equipe virtual diminua com a dispersão do time (Sedrine, Bouderbala & Nasraoui, 2020;Eisenberg, Post & DiTomaso 2019;Mysirlaki & Paraskeva 2019).…”