TRUST AND LEADERSHIP IN VIRTUAL TEAMS - The Perspective of Global Managers

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to research on trust in virtual organizations and teams by letting managers of virtual teams elaborate on the concept of trust and leadership in virtual teams. Theoretical Framework: For this thesis, the concept of trust was along with virtual teams and transformational leadership chosen as the framework of understanding. Method: This thesis is of qualitative nature. The data has been gathered through semistructured interviews. Results: Relationship building, openness & safety and expectation were found to be components of managers’ conception of trust. Results also show that the themes the enabling leader and the supporting leader identified in the statements of managers’ perceived leadership style and the examples they referred to correlate to the four components of transformational leadership. However, it was difficult to distinguish whether the described leadership was actually in reference to leadership and trust, leadership in virtual teams or leadership in general.