- May 13, 2026
- Posted by:
- Category: Abstract of 9th-worldmbe
Abstract Book of the 9th World Conference on Management, Business and Economics
Year: 2026
[PDF]
Virtual Organizational Climate: Extending Climate Theory to Digitally Mediated Work
Prof Dr. Ofer Arazy, Gil Luria, Adi Luria
ABSTRACT:
As organizations increasingly rely on digital communication and collaboration tools, the employee experience is shaped not only by formal structures and leadership practices, but also by the quality of the virtual work environment. Yet much of what we know about organizational climate was developed for workplaces built around face-to-face interaction. This raises an important question for contemporary organizations: how should climate be understood when work is coordinated through online platforms, remote communication, and hybrid routines?
This poster introduces the concept of virtual organizational climate as a way to capture how employees interpret and experience digitally mediated work settings. We argue that virtual climate is not simply an extension of traditional climate, but a distinct lens for understanding how day-to-day interactions in online workspaces influence employee attitudes and workplace dynamics. The study examines whether this construct offers added value beyond established climate perspectives and whether it helps explain important organizational outcomes in technology-enabled work arrangements.
The findings suggest that employees’ experiences in virtual work environments matter in meaningful ways and deserve closer theoretical and managerial attention. For organizations navigating remote and hybrid work, the results point to the importance of intentionally shaping digital work practices, communication norms, and online collaboration environments. More broadly, the study contributes to ongoing efforts to update organizational theory for a workplace in which “where work happens” is increasingly virtual.
Keywords: Organizational Climate, Virtual Organizational Climate, Technology- Mediated Work