Assessing the Influence of Virtuality on the Effectiveness of Engineering Project Networks: "Big Five Theory" Perspective

Engineering project networks (EPNs), as digitally mediated units whose team members are scattered across different organizations/locations, have become the norm for construction project teams. In EPNs, virtuality captures various forms of boundaries among team members and influences major dimensions of team functioning and outcomes. Despite this importance, investigating the role of virtuality on the functional performance of EPNs has remained an unexplored area. Through a multidisciplinary review of literature, a theoretical model has been created to conceptualize the fabric of links between virtuality and effectiveness in EPNs. The theoretical basis of the model is the Big Five theory of team effectiveness. The model has been evaluated using empirical data collected from 285 completed questionnaires, and analyzed through the use of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique. Quantification of associations reveals that virtuality significantly affects effectiveness in teams by manipulating several mediators. However, the level of influence of virtuality on these mediators, and eventually effectiveness, is much lower than previously assumed by current literature. This study goes beyond existing studies, presenting the first quantified model of virtuality applicable to any type of EPN in the construction context.