Title: An investigation of the role of trust in virtual project management success

Authors: Chanda Mumbi, Tanya McGill

Addresses: School of Information Technology, Murdoch University, South St., Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia. ' School of Information Technology, Murdoch University, South St., Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia

Abstract: Virtual project teams introduce new challenges for project managers tasked with the job of delivering project success. One such challenge is the development and maintenance of trust within the virtual environment. The paper explores the role that trust plays in virtual project teams and investigates how trust influences project outcomes. A model of trust in the virtual team environment is proposed and tested using data collected from a survey of members of the Project Management Institute. Analysis of the data showed that virtual team trust predicted project success, however swift trust and perceived traditional experience did not have any influence on virtual team trust. Based on the results of the study, the paper explores and recommends strategies to develop and maintain trust to a level that promotes the success of virtual team projects.

Keywords: trust; virtual teams; project management; virtual project teams; swift trust; interpersonal trust; teamwork; institution-based trust; trust-building skills.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNVO.2008.016003

International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations, 2008 Vol.5 No.1, pp.64 - 82

Published online: 02 Dec 2007 *

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