The influence of learning behaviour on team adaptability

Abstract

Multiple contexts shape team activities and how they learn, and group learning is a dynamic construct that reflects a repertoire of potential behaviour. The purpose of this developmental paper is to examine how better learning behaviours in semi–autonomous teams improves the level of team adaptability and performance. The discussion suggests that learning behaviour enables the team to better respond to critical uncertain contexts which in turn improves team adaptability. The overriding theme of the paper is that better team adaptability leads to higher team performance; learning behaviour provides the means by which teams and their members are more adaptable in responding to different contexts. The paper develops a number of hypotheses. The need to understand the link between multiple uncertainty contexts, team adaptability and team learning is important in improving team performance indicating a significant research gap.