Exploring the role of perceived virtuality and leadership functions on intrinsic motivation and team effectiveness

Teis Visser (Student)

Student thesis: Master's Thesis

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation is to explore how perceived proximity affects team effectiveness through the mediating mechanism of intrinsic motivation and how leadership moderates this process, this dissertation examines the complex dynamics of virtual teams. A moderated mediation analysis was performed using data from 202 questionnaires to investigate the connections between intrinsic motivation, leadership functions, perceived proximity, and team effectiveness. The study sheds light on the complex interactions between these variables, guided by the hypothesis that a team with high virtuality, along with a leader that implements leadership functions, leads to stronger intrinsic motivation among team members, hence impacting overall team effectiveness. The results show that perceived proximity has a significant impact on team effectiveness and that this link is significantly mediated by intrinsic motivation. It was also discovered that the relationship between perceived proximity and intrinsic motivation by team members was moderated by leadership functions, and hence this increased team effectiveness. Highlighting the significance of leadership functions in teams that operate virtually. By highlighting the critical role that leadership functions play in increasing intrinsic motivation and eventually boosting team effectiveness in virtual environments, this research advances both theoretical understanding and practical applications in managing virtual teams.