A longitudinal study of the interplay between team dynamics and media use in virtual teams.

Virtual teamwork has grown exponentially, particularly following shelter-in-place orders accompanying the COVID-19 pandemic. The influence of trust on a variety of team dynamics is well studied, and investigation into the influence of media use on team dynamics is emerging; however, many such studies are cross-sectional. A longitudinal study of team dynamics and media use is conducted using 235 students in MBA case analysis teams. Findings support established relationships between trust and impressions of teamwork and, ultimately, performance. Detailed findings indicate that during early phases, video conferencing increases trust and performance; during middle phases, higher levels of trust are associated with the use of texting; and during later phases, the use of e-mail increases performance. These findings are discussed in terms of channel expansion theory and the virtual teams paradigm.