Investigating face-to-face and virtual teamwork over time: When does early task conflict trigger relationship conflict?

2012

North Carolina State UniversityPast research has indicated that early task consict can trigger subsequent relationshipconsict during teamwork. The current study examines conditions that may exacerbateor attenuate this relationship. SpeciÞcally, this study examines the moderating role ofprocess consict and communication medium on the link between task consict andrelationship consict over time. A longitudinal laboratory experiment was carried outcomparing 22 face-to-face (FTF) groups, 22 videoconference (VC) groups, and 22synchronous computer mediated (i.e., OchatO) communication (CMC) groups workingon a complex team task over a period of 1 month. Results highlight the robust insuenceof early…