Exploratory findings on the influence of physical distance on six competencies in an international project

•Physical distance acts as a moderator between trust and cooperation;•Six competencies can ultimately be influenced by physical distance.•The six competencies appear to be linked together.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of physical distance between offices located in different countries working on the same international project, within an exploratory scope rather than a confirmatory perspective. Qualitative and quantitative investigations were conducted that show that physical distance impacts six competencies of the international project under investigation, including ability to instill trust and to cooperate. However, this impact can be positive or negative depending on circumstances, as physical distance acts as a moderating variable most particularly between trust and cooperation. A ratio between control and transparency, two of the six competencies, appears to be in line with past research on the importance of ensuring sound management.