Publications
Published Papers and Books
| Reference | Abstract | Key words | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wittchen, M., Schlereth, D., & Hertel, G. (2007). Social Indispensability under Temporal and Spatial Separation: Motivation Gains in a Sequential Task during Anonymous Cooperation on the Internet. International Journal of Internet Science, 2, 12-27. | Recent research has demonstrated motivation gains during synchronous group work compared to individual work when group members’ contribution was indispensable for the group’s success (e.g., Hertel, Kerr, & Messé, 2000a, Hertel, Deter, & Konradt, 2003). The current study extends this earlier research (a) by examining indispensability effects during sequential cooperation (temporal separation), and (b) by exploring these effects under conditions of high anonymity on the Internet (spatial separation). A 2 (Internet vs. laboratory context) x 3 (high vs. low vs. no impact of personal contribution for a group) x 2 (individual vs. group trial) design was used with the last factor measured within subjects (N = 231). Motivation was measured with a vigilance task that simulated an Internet travel agency selling package holidays according to incoming customer requests. During all trials, participants received contemporaneous feedback about their own performance. During the group trials, participa | mwittchen (at) uni-muenster.de | motivation gain; indispensability; online experiment |
| Hertel, G., Geister, S. & Konradt, U. (2005). Managing virtual teams: A review of current empirical research. Human Resource Management Review, 15, 69-95. | This review summarizes empirical research on the management of virtual teams, i.e., distributed work teams whose members predominantly communicate and coordinate their work via electronic media (e-mail, telephone, video-conference, etc.). Instead of considering virtual teams as qualitatively distinct from conventional teams, the degree of “virtuality” of teams is understood as a dimensional attribute. This review is guided by a lifecycle model in which five phases are distinguished in the management of teams with high virtuality: Preparation, launch, performance management, team development, and disbanding. The main focus of the review is on quantitative research with existing virtual teams in organizational contexts. However, experimental research and case studies are considered when no field studies are available. The major research results are summarized for human resource management tasks within these phases, and recommendations for practitioners are derived. | ghertel (at) uni-muenster.de | Virtual Teams; Review |
| Hertel, G., Konradt, U. & Voss, K. (2006). Competencies for virtual teamwork: Development and validation of a web-based selection tool for members of distributed teams. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 15(4), 477-505. | The development and validation of the Virtual Team Competency Inventory (VTCI), an Internet-based measure for selection and placement of members in virtual teams, is described. Item selection was based on a conceptual model with three main categories (taskwork, teamwork, and telecooperation related KSAs) and eleven subscales. After an exploratory pilot study with 169 undergraduate students, 39 items remained in the final version of the VTCI. In the main study, 258 members of organizational virtual teams completed the VTCI and were concurrently assessed by their team managers. The results showed satisfactory reliability of the VTCI (overall alpha = .92) and good convergent and discriminant validity. The concurrent multiple validity of the VTCI was .49 for individual team members’ performance. Moreover, analyses at the team-level revealed significant correlations between team effectiveness and mean, minimum (but not maximum), and variance aggregations of VTCI predictors within the teams. | ghertel (at) uni-muenster.de | Staffing, Virtual Teams, Competencies |
| Vartiainen, M., Kokko, N. & Hakonen, M. (2003). Competences in virtual organizations. In: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Researching Work and Learning, 25-27 July 2003, Book I, pp. 209-219. Tampere, Finland | This paper deals with the competences needed in virtual organisations. A virtual organisation can be characterized with four dimensions and their sub-dimensions: space (same place vs. different, dispersed place; fixed vs. mobile), time (same, synchronous vs. different, asynchronous; permanent vs. temporary), mode of interaction (face-to-face vs. mediated), and diversity of actors (similar vs. different). In virtual organisations, employees with different backgrounds work geographically dispersed, often asynchronously, and are linked with each other by using various information and communication technologies (ICT). Thus, the virtual organisation challenges the traditional benefits of collocated work like the possibility to communicate face-to-face. In order to overcome temporal, spatial and organisational disablers, ICT is utilized both as means of communication and as a collaborative tool to collect, store, and disseminate knowledge. Dispersed work creates new job demands and challeng | matti.vartiainen (at) tkk.fi | Individual competences; Collective competences; Distributed team |
| Hertel, G., Schroer, J., Batinic, B. & Naumann, S. (2008). Do shy people prefer to send e-mail? Personality effects on communication media preferences in threatening and non-threatening situations. Social Psychology, 39, 231-243. | Personality aspects are largely neglected in existing models of media preferences. Based on a functional approach, it is hypothesized that media preferences are affected by extraversion and neuroticism particularly in situations that correspond to the motivational implications of these traits. The results of a questionnaire study (N = 228) on preferences for communication media with varying levels of media richness (face-to-face conversation; e-mail) revealed extraversion and neuroticism as significant predictors of media preferences. Moreover, these effects were mediated by the traits’ motivational manifestations in social situations (i.e., social skills, social anxiety). Finally, the effects were moderated by the potential threat of a communication situation, showing significant trait effects particularly in social conflicts. | ghertel (at) uni-muenster.de | Communication media; Personality; Media preference |
| Konradt, U. & Hertel, G. (2002). Management virtueller Teams - von der Telearbeit zum virtuellen Unternehmen. [Managing virtual teams - from telework to virtual organizations]. Weinheim: Beltz Verlag. | This book - unfortunately only in German - provides an applied oriented review about management strategies and best practises for distributed work settings. | ghertel (at) uni-muenster.de | Management; Virtual teams; Review |
| Schroer, J. & Hertel, G. (2009). Engagement in an open web-based encyclopedia: Wikipedians and why they do it. Media Psychology, 12, 96-120. | The online encyclopedia Wikipedia can be considered as a highly successful Open Content project, written and maintained completely by volunteers. Little is known, however, about the motives and interests of these volunteers. Results from an online survey among 106 contributors to the German Wikipedia project are presented. As potential predictors of contributors’ engagement and satisfaction, both motives derived from social sciences (e.g., costs-benefits, valence of the Wikipedia goals, identification with Wikipedia, etc.) as well as perceived task characteristics (e.g., task significance, autonomy, skill variety, etc.) were measured. The results reveal that satisfaction ratings of contributors are determined by perceived benefits, identification with the Wikipedia community, and task characteristics. Contributors’ engagement (e.g., hours per week) was particularly determined by their tolerance for opportunity costs and the experienced characteristics of their tasks, the latter effect | Volunteerism; Wikipedia; Motivation |
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