1 ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HUMAN RESOURCES INFORMATION SYSTEMS INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCES AS A TRUST FACTOR IN VIRTUAL TEAM WORK Maria Assumpta Aneas, PhD. 1 1. Introduction Globalization is increasingly having a visible impact on the importance attached to interculturality in organisations, an impact which is even clearer in the context of virtual teamwork. Virtual teamwork is defined by Simsarian (2007) as a process whereby a group of people with a common purpose carry out interdependent tasks using technology as the key communicational interface. This phenomenon has both positive and negative aspects in that, on the one hand, it can produce a significant increase in the productivity, value added and profitability associated with the deployment of organizational resources, whilst on the other it can lead to growing uncertainty, tension, and a feeling of failure among team members if they are not adequately prepared and trained. Just one illustration of the costs to organisations of ignoring the growing importance of intercultural communication is offered by Wederspalhn (2002) who highlights the conclusion reached in 2000 by the American Society for Training and Development that “American Companies suffer losses of over $2.5 billion annually as a result of the inadequate training and preparation of employees sent overseas”. Managing this new virtual intercultural communication phenomenon is one of the most important challenges facing the company in relation to its use of 1 Member of GREDI ( Grup de Recerca en Educació Intercultural) Department of Methods of Educational Assessment and Research. Universitat de Barcelona Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron, 171. 08035 Barcelona, Spain. E-mail address: aaneas@ub.edu Telefon. 34 34 4035219, 34 607656078