Nicoleta Meslec and Ishani Aggarwal
The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it aims to isolate a new mechanism (i.e. underestimation judgments) through which gender (percentage of women in a group in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it aims to isolate a new mechanism (i.e. underestimation judgments) through which gender (percentage of women in a group in particular) influences group synergy, or the extent to which groups are able to perform better than their composing members. Second, it aims to explore further the extent to which underestimation judgments are prone to change and adjustment as a result of participating in social contexts, such as groups.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample consisted of 278 student participants (161 women), nested within 66 groups. Participants performed a series of cognitive tasks with correct answers and had to rate how confident they were in the answers given.
Findings
Gender composition in terms of percentage of women is positively related to underestimation within groups and this negatively affects group synergy. The data also show that women underestimate less or improve the accuracy of their performance self-evaluation judgments after group interaction, thereby highlighting a factor (group experience) that helps women gain greater accuracy about their performance.
Research limitations/implications
Further research could explore the extent to which underestimation judgments are present in various organizational contexts and the extent to which they are prone to change.
Practical implications
Organizations and universities are invited to reflect on the relevance of self-beliefs (and underestimation in particular) on the accomplishment of cognitive tasks. Practices and policies should be geared toward the enhancement of self-knowledge accuracy, with a particular focus on the female population.
Originality/value
This paper identifies a new mechanism through which gender influences group synergy: underestimation judgments.
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Nicoleta Meslec, Jacco Duel and Joseph Soeters
The purpose of this study is to explore the extent to which teamwork (developed either during an initial training phase or during a subsequent deployment phase) is influenced by…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the extent to which teamwork (developed either during an initial training phase or during a subsequent deployment phase) is influenced by the nature of the team’s environment (extreme vs non-extreme) and the extent to which teamwork is one of the explaining mechanisms for team performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Data was collected from 60 teams at 2 time-points: training phase in The Netherlands or Germany and deployment phase (in locations such as Afghanistan and Bosnia-Herzegovina).
Findings
This study’s results indicate that when teams consider working in extreme environments, they develop higher levels of teamwork as compared to teams expecting to work in non-extreme environments. These differences remain stable also during the deployment phase, such that teams operating in extreme environments will continue to have higher levels of teamwork as compared to teams operating in non-extreme environments.
Originality/value
With this study, the authors contribute to the teamwork quality research stream by empirically studying how teamwork quality develops in unique military contexts such as extreme environments. Studies in such contexts are relatively rare.
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Nicoleta Meslec and Daniel Graff
The aim of the current paper is to explore the role of cross-understanding as a mediator between openness to cognitive experience and reflective communication cognitions on the…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of the current paper is to explore the role of cross-understanding as a mediator between openness to cognitive experience and reflective communication cognitions on the one hand and team performance on the other hand using the input-mediator-output-input (IMOI) model as a framework (Ilgen et al., 2005).
Design/methodology/approach
The sample consisted of 156 participants organized in 37 student teams. Two mediation models were estimated while using a nonparametric resampling procedure of bootstrapping developed by Hayes (2012).
Findings
Cross-understanding positively mediates the relation between openness to cognitive diversity and team performance and the relation between reflective communication cognition and team performance. Reflective communication cognition has a direct and negative relation to team performance. Additionally, the percentage of women within groups positively relates to group performance.
Research limitations/implications
Future research could explore the validity of this model in other organizational settings and while using different indicators for team performance.
Practical implications
Practitioners should encourage an open climate toward knowledge diversity and different perspectives within teams, as this might create the optimal conditions for cross-understanding to emerge. Team members should also be encouraged to learn not only about the knowledge of other team members but also about their beliefs, preferences and things they are sensitive to, as this awareness is beneficial for the overall team performance.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the team cognition literature by bringing empirical support for a relatively less investigated concept: cross-understanding. The paper establishes its relation to team performance and two of its potential antecedents – openness to cognitive diversity and reflective communication cognition.
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Smaranda Boroş, Nicoleta Meslec, Petru L. Curşeu and Wilco Emons
The aim of this paper is to examine the influence of group composition in cultural values on conflict management styles in groups.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to examine the influence of group composition in cultural values on conflict management styles in groups.
Design/methodology/approach
A field study using data from 125 groups was conducted.
Findings
The results show that in groups where members feel they are equal and connected (horizontal collectivism) cooperation is better, and contending and avoiding conflict management styles are used less. When people view themselves as unequal and independent (vertical individualism (VI)) the avoiding style of conflict management is more frequently used. Within‐group similarity (low variety) in VI leads to more cooperation and less avoidant conflict management strategies as well as less third party interventions. High group variety in views of being unequal, but interconnected (vertical collectivism), as well as in the views of being equal but independent (horizontal individualism), leads to more cooperative conflict resolution strategy.
Practical implications
The results show that small and consistent within‐group differences in cultural values are beneficial (with the exception of VI) for cooperative strategies. By showing that group compositional configurations in cultural values (vertical/horizontal individualism and collectivism) impact on conflict management strategies, the study has important implications for team design.
Originality/value
The paper extends current research by conceptualizing cultural values (it considers the horizontal vs vertical orientation in individualism‐collectivism) as configural group properties and by testing the impact of specific team configurations in cultural values on conflict management strategies.
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René Schalk and Petru L. Curşeu
The paper aims to introduce the papers in this special issue which highlight the importance of cooperation in organizations, and outline future research directions.
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to introduce the papers in this special issue which highlight the importance of cooperation in organizations, and outline future research directions.
Design/methodology/approach
Conceptual approaches to cooperation in organizations are described and a brief outline is given to each paper in the special issue.
Findings
This special issue brings together studies that enhance our theoretical understanding of cooperation, addressing core issues related to the role of cultural differences, virtual communication, team processes, leader behavior, and the impact of norms on cooperation.
Practical implications
Factors that facilitate or hinder cooperation in organizations are highlighted, and suggestions on how to deal with those issues in practice are provided. The papers facilitate understanding of the role of cultural differences, communication, team processes, and leader behavior on cooperation in organizations.
Originality/value
The paper provides an introduction to the special issue.
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Devi Yulia Rahmi and Nurul Indarti
This study aims to examine the role of knowledge sharing as a mediating variable on the effect of cognitive diversity on team innovation. Additionally, the study also tests the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the role of knowledge sharing as a mediating variable on the effect of cognitive diversity on team innovation. Additionally, the study also tests the role of a moderating variable team climate on the relationship between cognitive diversity and knowledge sharing.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used an explanatory approach to test the hypothesis. A survey with structured questionnaires was distributed to 39 creative teams between radio and television broadcasting institutions in the Province of Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Findings
The current study shows cognitive diversity has a significant association with knowledge sharing, and knowledge sharing positively associated with team innovation. The findings of this study indicate that team climate moderates the relationship between cognitive diversity and knowledge sharing. Additionally, knowledge sharing is found not to be a significant mediation on the relationship between cognitive diversity and team innovation.
Research limitations/implications
The study promises to examine how diverse teams work particularly in the context of creative teams in radio and television broadcasting institutions. However, this study only focuses on relationships; it does not examine the processes underlying those relationships. This study implies for future research agenda focusing on the mechanism affecting the relationships. Additionally, examining the relationship model in the context of a less-creative team such as banking industry could also a call for future research.
Practical implications
The results of the study contribute to managerial implications which suggest that to enhance team innovation, a team leader must design a comfortable working climate that stimulates productive knowledge sharing.
Originality/value
The study provides a comprehensive understanding of knowledge sharing and team climate on the relationship between cognitive diversity and team innovation, which are missing in previous empirical studies. Then, the study is relevant because of inconclusive findings from past studies examining the relationship between cognitive diversity and team innovation.