Presence and Absence in Global Virtual Team Meetings: Physical, Virtual, and Social Dimensions

Abstract

Global work is often organised around virtual meetings. Different time zones and schedules, plus competing priorities and roles, pose challenges for virtual team members. Social presence in a team does not automatically equate with physical or virtual presence. Therefore, the notions of being physically, virtually, and socially present or absent in global team meetings are important, and affect the collaboration of global work groups. This chapter examines the dimensions of presence and absence in global virtual work and presents a propositional model to study predictors and effects of presence and absence in virtual meetings. The physical, virtual, and social dimensions of presence are examined in both co-located and virtual settings.