Contrasting Traditional and Virtual Teams within the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic: From Team Culture towards Objectives Achievement

Mădălina-Elena Stratone, Elena-Mădălina Vătămănescu, Laurențiu-Mihai Treapăt, Mihaela Rusu and Cristian-Mihai Vidu
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Mădălina-Elena Stratone: Doctoral School in Management, National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), 30A Expozitiei Blvd., 012104 Bucharest, Romania
Elena-Mădălina Vătămănescu: Faculty of Management, National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), 30A Expozitiei Blvd., 012104 Bucharest, Romania
Laurențiu-Mihai Treapăt: Faculty of Management, National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), 30A Expozitiei Blvd., 012104 Bucharest, Romania
Mihaela Rusu: Doctoral School in Communication Sciences, National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), 30A Expozitiei Blvd., 012104 Bucharest, Romania
Cristian-Mihai Vidu: Doctoral School in Management, National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA), 30A Expozitiei Blvd., 012104 Bucharest, Romania

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-19

Abstract: The current paper aimed to comparatively scrutinize some key dimensions apposite for the dynamics of traditional versus virtual teams in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emphasis was laid on the positive leadership perception, communication effectiveness among team members, objectives achievement, diversity approach, and the perception of team culture strength. Invitations to fill in an online questionnaire consisting of paired items were sent in January 2022 via email to over 200 potential respondents working in both traditional and virtual teams, using a snowball sampling technique; 137 subjects completed the entire questionnaire, hence allowing a reasonable research sample for conducting relevant statistical analyses (i.e., paired t -test given that the aim was to investigate the difference between paired sets of variables for the same issues). The empirical exploration brought to the fore significant differences among the considered dimensions, thus underscoring the benefits and drawbacks of working in traditional versus virtual teams in the context of the new normal. Evidence was brought forward that teamwork in traditional teams (i.e., based on face-to-face interaction) is preferable to that in virtual teams (i.e., based on online interaction). Meaningful differences were observed regarding the perception of team culture strength, communication effectiveness, positive leadership perception, and diversity approach in favor of traditional teams, the questioned respondents opting for the offline coordination and collaboration processes.

Keywords: traditional teams; virtual teams; COVID-19 pandemic; team culture; leadership; communication; diversity; objectives achievement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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