What is Distance Classes

Several factors have been shown to affect how effective virtual teams communicate. One of these factors, trust, has received a great deal of attention by researchers. However, most virtual team members do not receive training on how to effectively communicate and promote trust. Several theories have questioned the ability of computer-mediated systems to aid the development of communication, trust, and other interpersonal attributes that are needed to form successful teams. Some researchers suggest computer-mediated communication does not differ from face-to-face communications in terms of the substance but in terms of a slower rate of transfer. However, most academic virtual teams and many organizational project teams meet over the course of several months and are then disbanded, thereby not having enough time to develop the types of links needed for effective, efficient communication. Our research investigates the impact of training on trust development by tracking trust levels among members of virtual teams in an academic environment. We extend the current research on the use of virtual teams by applying team training and tracking the resulting change in trust.