Name: Sadie Kee

Masters Thesis Proposal Meeting

Date: Wednesday, June 25th, 2025

Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00pm

Location: Virtual, Meeting link click here

Thesis Chair/Advisor:

Christopher Wiese, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech)

Thesis Committee Members:

Ruth Kanfer, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech)

Allison Traylor, Ph.D. (Clemson University)

Title: Understanding the Cohesion-Building Process in Temporary Virtual Teams: A Proposed Framework 

Abstract: The shift to virtual work since the COVID-19 pandemic has made virtual teams increasingly common, yet research on how team-level constructs like cohesion translate from in-person to virtual settings remains limited. In particular, little is known about how cohesion develops in virtual teams and how it can be objectively measured. The current study seeks to address these gaps by proposing a framework for the development of cohesion in temporary, virtual teams and investigating whether verbal communication can serve as an objective measure of cohesion. This study will use a mixed methods design to examine whether verbal communication is an objective measure of team cohesion and to identify factors that enhance cohesion in virtual teams. Findings from this study have broad implications for enhancing teamwork and collaboration in virtual environments.