Effective workgroups: The role of diversity and culture
Grupos de trabajo eficaces: el papel de la diversidad y de la cultura
Paulo Renato Lourençoa 1 , Isabel Dórdio Dimasb , Teresa Rebeloa
a
University of Coimbra, Portugal
b
School of Technology and Management of Águeda, University of Aveiro, Portugal
Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology 30 (2014) 123-32
10.1016/j.jval.2014.03.488
Abstract

The purpose of this study was to contribute to the clarification of the conditions under which teams can be successful. To attain this goal, the direct and interactive effects of diversity and of the team's cultural orientation towards learning on team outcomes (team performance, team members’ satisfaction) were analyzed. Data were obtained from a survey among 73 teams from different industrial and service companies, which perform complex and non-routine tasks. In order to test the hypotheses, multilevel analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were conducted. The results show a significant (although marginal) effect of diversity on members’ satisfaction with the team. The team orientation towards learning presented positive effects on both team performance and members’ satisfaction with the team. No interactive effects were identified. Although the positive impact of a learning culture on organizational effectiveness has already been studied and is well established in the literature, this is one of the first studies that provides empirical evidence of the impact of this kind of culture at the team level. At an intervention level, this study points to managers who want to create successful teams that they may be advised to enhance the levels of the team orientation towards learning, creating conditions in the team to promote and support the acquisition of knowledge.

Resumen

El objetivo de este estudio ha sido contribuir a aclarar las condiciones que hacen que los equipos sean efica- ces. A tal fin se analizaron los efectos interactivos directos e indirectos de la diversidad y de la orientación cultural del equipo sobre el desempeño del mismo (rendimiento, satisfacción de sus miembros). Se obtu- vieron datos de una encuesta aplicada a 73 equipos de diferentes empresas industriales y de servicios que llevan a cabo tareas complejas y no rutinarias. Para la puesta a prueba de las hipótesis se llevó a cabo un análisis multinivel y regresión jerárquica. Los resultados señalan un efecto significativo (aunque marginal) de la diversidad en la satisfacción de los miembros en el equipo. La orientación de éste hacia el aprendizaje tenía efectos positivos tanto para el desempeño del equipo como para la satisfacción de los miembros con el equipo. No se observaron efectos interactivos. A pesar de que ya se haya estudiado la repercusión positi- va de una cultura de aprendizaje en la eficacia de la organización y que esté bien consolidada en las publi- caciones, este estudio es uno de los primeros en aportar pruebas empíricas de las consecuencias de este tipo de cultura al nivel de equipo. Al nivel de intervención, el estudio señala que puede aconsejarse a los directivos que deseen crear equipos eficaces que mejoren el nivel de orientación del equipo hacia el apren- dizaje, sentando las condiciones en el equipo que favorezcan y respalden la adquisición de conocimientos.

Keywords
Workgroups
Diversity
Team learning culture
Members’ satisfaction
Team performance
Multilevel
Palabras clave
Equipos de trabajo
Diversidad
Cultura de aprendizaje en el equipo
Satisfacción de los miembros del equipo
Desempeño de equipo
Multinivel
PDF

Allison, 1978, Adkins and Caldwell, 2004, Ahmed et al., 1999, Ancona and Caldwell, 1992, Bantel and Jackson, 1989, Becker, 2005, Berends et al., 2003, Bliese, 2000, Bliese, 2009, Bowers et al., 2000, Bradford, 1999, Brewer and Kramer, 1986, Brown, 1998, Browne and Cudeck, 1993, Bunderson and Sutcliffe, 2003, Burke et al., 1999, Byrne, 2001, Chatman and Flynn, 2001, Christian et al., 2006, Cohen et al., 2003, Conway, 2002, Conway and Lance, 2010, Cook and Yanow, 1996, De Dreu and Weingart, 2003, Dimas, 2007, Ely, 2004, Earley and Mosakowski, 2000, Egan et al., 2004, Edmondson, 1999, Edmondson, 2002, Edmondson et al., 2007, Evans, 1985, Fiol and Lyles, 1985, Gibson and Vermeulen, 2003, Gladstein, 1984, Guzzo and Shea, 1992, Hackman, 1990, Hackman and Oldham, 1980, Hambrick et al., 1996, Harrison et al., 1998, Hill, 1996, Hu and Bentler, 1999, Jackson, 1992, Jackson et al., 1995, Jehn and Bezrukova, 2004, Jehn et al., 1999, Khandekar and Sharma, 2006, Klein and Kozlowski, 2000, Kline, 2005, Kulik, 2004, Lau and Murnighan, 1998, Lines, 2005, López et al., 2004, Lubinski and Humphreys, 1990, Maanen and Barley, 1985, Marsick and Watkins, 1994, McAleese and Hargie, 2004, Mohammed and Angell, 2004, Murray and Carter, 2005, Oliver and Kandadi, 2006, O’Reilly et al., 1998, Palthe, 2003, Podsakoff et al., 2003, Foundation et al., 2011, Rebelo and Gomes, 2011a, Rebelo and Gomes, 2011b, Sacco and Schmitt, 2005, Sackman, 1992, Saji, 2004, Salaman, 2001, Schein, 1985, Schein, 1992, Schein, 1996, Schippers et al., 2003, Sense, 2004, Simons et al., 1999, Stott and Walker, 1995, Teachman, 1980, Tjosvold, 1991, Turner, 1982, Van der Vegt and Bunderson, 2005, Van Knippenberg and Schippers, 2007, Van Woerkom and Van Engen, 2009, Webber and Donahue, 2001, Williams and O’Reilly, 1998 and Yang, 2003.

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1

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Paulo Renato Lourenço.

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