The role of virtual leadership efficacy in cross-functional collaboration

Bizilj, Sanja (author), Boštjančič, Eva (author), Sočan, Gregor (author)

Virtual leadership requires creating a motivational environment for employees from diverse cultural and geographical backgrounds while promoting effective cross-functional collaboration throughout the organization. Despite the literature highlighting cross-functional collaboration as a key factor for success, there is a lack of research examining the relationship between virtual leadership and cross-functional collaboration. Our empirical study addresses this gap and explores the connection between factors such as the quality and frequency of leader-subordinate communication, a leader’s networking skills and virtual leadership efficacy, and the association between virtual leadership efficacy and cross-functional collaboration. We tested research hypotheses on a sample of 133 participants in a global company with a matrix structure. Using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), we analysed the conceptual model and confirmed a positive relationship between communication quality, leader networking ability, and perceived virtual leadership efficacy. The research findings indicated that the frequency of communication between leader and subordinate does not have a significant impact on the perception of virtual leadership efficacy. The study also revealed the direct and indirect effects of virtual leadership efficacy on cross-functional collaboration. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the impacts of virtual leadership efficacy and broaden the understanding of the direct and indirect effects of virtual leadership efficacy on cross-functional collaboration.

• Language: English
• Keywords: virtual leadership, cross-functional collaboration, matrix organizational structure, communication, networking
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 272-283
• Numbering: Letn. 34
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177849
• UDC: 159.9:316.46
• ISSN on article: 2350-5141
• DOI: 10.20419/2025.34.624
• COBISS.SI-ID: 264142083
• Publication date in RUL: 09.01.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Psihološka obzorja : slovenska znanstveno-strokovna psihološka revija
• Publisher: Društvo psihologov Slovenije, Društvo psihologov Slovenije, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 2350-5141
• COBISS.SI-ID: 271603200

Licences

• License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• Description: This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Vloga učinkovitosti virtualnega vodenja pri medfunkcijskem sodelovanju

Abstract

Virtualno vodenje zahteva ustvarjanje motivacijskega okolja za zaposlene iz različnih kulturnih in geografskih ozadij ter hkrati spodbujanje učinkovitega medfunkcijskega sodelovanja znotraj organizacije. Kljub temu, da literatura kot ključni faktor za uspešnost poslovanja izpostavlja medfunkcijsko sodelovanje, pa je le malo raziskav preučevalo povezavo virtualnega vodenja z medfunkcijskim sodelovanjem. Z našo empirično raziskavo smo naslovili to vrzel in raziskali povezanost dejavnikov, kot so kakovost in pogostost komunikacije med vodjo in podrejenim ter spretnost mreženja vodij z učinkovitostjo virtualnega vodenja ter povezanost učinkovitosti virtualnega vodenja z medfunkcijskim sodelovanjem. Raziskovalne hipoteze smo preverili na vzorcu 133 udeležencev v mednarodni organizaciji z matrično strukturo. S tehniko strukturnega modeliranja s parcialnimi najmanjšimi kvadrati (PLS-SEM) smo analizirali konceptualni model in potrdili pozitivno povezavo med kakovostjo komunikacije, sposobnostjo mreženja vodij in zaznano učinkovitostjo virtualnega vodenja. Izsledki raziskave so pokazali, da pogostost komunikacije med vodjo in podrejenim nima značilnega vpliva na zaznavo učinkovitosti virtualnega vodenja. Študija je prav tako razkrila, da ima učinkovitost virtualnega vodenja tako neposredni kot posredni učinek pri spodbujanju medfunkcijskega sodelovanja. Te ugotovitve prispevajo k bolj poglobljenemu razumevanju vplivov na učinkovitost virtualnega vodenja ter širijo razumevanje neposrednega in posrednega vpliva učinkovitosti virtualnega vodenja na medfunkcijsko sodelovanje.

• Keywords: vodenje na daljavo, medfunkcijsko sodelovanje, matrična organizacijska struktura, komunikacija, mreženje