Cohesion in Online Student Teams Versus Traditional Teams

Abstract

Researchers have found that the electronic methods in use for online team communication today increase communication quality in project-based work situations. Because communication quality is known to influence group cohesion, the present research examined whether online student project teams are more cohesive than traditional teams. We tested this question using parallel online and traditional teams in introductory marketing courses. Compared with the traditional teams, online team members communicated more positively and participated more in team activities, both of which suggest a higher level of team cohesion. The online teams were more satisfied with their team experience and performed better on their projects than did the traditional teams. The importance and application of this research is discussed. Because the existing research in marketing education has focused on traditional teams, the study findings open a potentially important line of research.