Malcolm Higgs, Ulrich Plewnia and Jorg Ploch
The purpose of this paper is to describe a research study which is designed to explore the interrelationship between team diversity and task complexity in terms of its impact on…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe a research study which is designed to explore the interrelationship between team diversity and task complexity in terms of its impact on performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Team diversity was operationalised using the Belbin Team Role model. Task complexity was assessed through a questionnaire completed by team members and performance was assessed by using a questionnaire completed by the manager to whom the team reported. In total, 28 teams participated in the study. The 28 teams encompassed 270 members.
Findings
The results of the study demonstrated a clear relationship between team composition (diversity), complexity of task and team performance. Diversity was found to be positively related to performance for complex tasks and negatively related for straightforward tasks.
Research limitations/implications
The findings indicate that there can be benefit in considering the complexity of a task or project before assembling a team. The degree of complexity could inform the mix of individuals to be included in the team in terms of diversity of personal traits. The study took place within a single organisation and therefore care must be taken in generalizing the findings without evidence from further research.
Originality/value
The results of this study provide a potentially useful framework for establishing high performance teams.
Details
Keywords
Petru L. Curşeu, Patrick Kenis and Jörg Raab
The purpose of this article is to explore the effects of the interaction between team diversity and reciprocated relational preferences on task and relationship conflict in teams.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to explore the effects of the interaction between team diversity and reciprocated relational preferences on task and relationship conflict in teams.
Design/methodological approach
The paper reports the results of an empirical study conducted on 66 teams, of which 32 were randomly created, while 34 teams were formed through a pair matching strategy (team dating).
Findings
The results show that mutual positive preferences attenuated the positive impact of team diversity on relationship conflict within teams.
Research limitations/implications
The results support the theoretical distinction between task and relationship conflict and show that close interpersonal relations within teams have a differential impact on the two types of conflict.
Practical implications
The results reported in the study support the use of the team dating strategy for team design in different organizational settings.
Originality/value
The paper introduces a new method for team formation based on reciprocated relational preferences.