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Compared to the occurrence of conflict in general teams in organizations, conflict occurrence in entrepreneurial teams is more prevalent and intense. However, previous studies have found inconsistent relationships between entrepreneurial team conflict and performance, and the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain in the “black box.” Drawing on the motivated information processing in groups theory, this study aims to investigate how and when entrepreneurial team conflict influences entrepreneurial performance.

The authors collected survey data from 190 entrepreneurs across 58 entrepreneurial teams in China. The hypothesized relationships were examined through path analysis using the Mplus7.0 program.

Entrepreneurial team relationship conflict is negatively related to entrepreneurial performance mediated through team behavioral integration. Conversely, there exists a curvilinear (U-shaped) relationship between entrepreneurial team task conflict and entrepreneurial performance, also mediated through team behavioral integration. Furthermore, the curvilinear relationship between entrepreneurial team task conflict and team behavioral integration is strengthened by team contractual governance, whereas the relationship between entrepreneurial team relationship conflict and team behavioral integration is not moderated by team contractual governance.

This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationship between entrepreneurial team conflict and performance by identifying the mediating mechanism and boundary condition. The finding of a U-shaped relationship between entrepreneurial team task conflict and entrepreneurial performance underscores the uniqueness of the entrepreneurial team context, offering new empirical insights for future conflict research.

This paper explores the phenomenon of organizational maverickism, proposing that mavericks, alongside innovators and entrepreneurs, play a crucial role in driving transformational change. While the actions of innovators and entrepreneurs as change agents are well understood, this paper focuses predominantly on how the practices of mavericks also provide significant contributions to achieving game-changing organizational outcomes.

A literature review and conceptual paper highlighting the beneficial nature of maverickism to organizational change efforts, positioning maverickism as a valid change agent role alongside entrepreneurship and innovation.

The positively deviant nature of mavericks has high potential for creating radical organizational change strategies. Organizational change is more likely to be successful when the entrepreneurial, innovator and maverick mindsets are used to their optimum advantage.

From this conceptual paper and its arguments, new research directions to guide theory building and organizational practice are identified.

When organizational managers and leaders more fully understand the beneficial practices of mavericks, they are more likely to actively employ them in more meaningful roles as organizational change agents, together with innovators and entrepreneurs.

This paper closes the knowledge gap in understanding maverickism that is an under-researched and under-theorized phenomenon. The arguments in this paper identify a number of areas for future research.