Performance In Cross-functional Teams Research Articles

Setting the Stage: Initial Socio-Emotional Communication and Performance in Cross-Functional Teams

Effective cross-functional integration is characterized by complex interactions during project work in supply chain management. We draw from a socio-emotional communication framework and team development models to carve out that socio-emotional communication constitutes a double-edged sword in setting the stage for team performance development. Specifically, in the light of unequivocal prior research findings regarding this topic, we pose the question of whether team members’ reactions to socio-emotional statements may be the reason that some cross-functional teams succeed and others fail. We used sophisticated interaction coding to capture early communication patterns of 33 teams (N = 134) as well as their performance development over six meetings of a supply chain simulation. Using latent growth modeling, we found that the amount of socio-emotional communication in the first meeting negatively impacts overall team performance. However, running sequential analytical models revealed that unsuccessful teams reacted upon socio-emotional communication with dysfunctional remarks and task-oriented contributions, while successful teams only showed task-oriented reactions, and more profoundly increased team performance over different rounds. Operations managers should be sensitized about the possible detrimental effects of unthoughtful handling of socio-emotional chitchat in cross-functional teams.

Ambidexterity, prosocial impact, and task performance in cross-functional teams: the role of individual’s team identification

PurposeThis paper examines the motivational influence of individuals’ team identification (TID) on their ambidexterity (TA), prosocial impact (TPS), and task performance (TTP) at the team level of analysis, as well as investigates the role of TA in mediating TID’s relationship with both TTP and TPS.Design/methodology/approachBy using a cross-sectional sample of 102 cross-functional teams with a total of 362 individual members from 22 firms in the customer-facing industries of Indonesia, we analyzed multilevel data and tested hypotheses using aggregated team-level structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsThis study supports a significant positive relationship between TID and TA. Further, while TA fully mediates the relationship between TID and TTP, TID has a direct influence on TPS.Practical implicationsThis study contributes to filling the gaps in empirical evidence pertaining to the role of identity in motivating employees beyond their formal employment contracts. Their immediate leaders play a crucial role in individuals’ daily work lives and affect how they view their social identifications with their team, which subsequently contributes toward the enhancement of people and organizational performances.Originality/valueOur study offers empirical evidence in support of the identity-enhanced principal-agent model and contributes to the literature on Social Identity Theory with a focus on the individual-group interface. To our knowledge, our study is the first empirical research on the influence of TID on TA, TPT, and TPS across multiple firms in the customer-facing industries.

SVM-Based Techniques for Predicting Cross-Functional Team Performance: Using Team Trust as a Predictor

Due to the characteristics of cross-functional teams, trust is crucial for cross-functional teams to enhance performance. However, as a significant factor, trust had been neglected in previous team performance models. In this paper, we investigate whether trust can be used as a predictor of cross-functional team performance by proposing a prediction model. The inputs of the model are both team structural and contextual (SC) factors, and project process (PP) factors, which are two major sources that form team trust. The output of the model is different levels of team performance, which consists of internal performance and external performance. The support vector machine techniques are used to establish the model. Results show that prediction accuracy is high (84.95%) when using both SC and PP factors as inputs, while PP factors have better prediction accuracy than SC factors on team performance and internal performance. It is suggested that team trust can be used as a good predictor of cross-functional team performance. In practice, this paper presents a better understanding of the relationship between trust and performance in cross-functional teams, and thus, enhances practitioners’ managerial skills. It also gives reference for managers to dynamically control and predict team performance during project period.

TEAM COMPOSITION AND LEARNING BEHAVIORS IN CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAMS

This study examines the effects of two types of team diversity (functional and positional diversity) and team learning behaviors on the performance of cross-functional teams. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) system implementation teams were selected for investigation because of their cross-functional characteristics. The study results indicate that team learning behaviors had a significant and consistently positive effect on team performance. Functional diversity had a negative effect on team satisfaction, while the effect of positional diversity was positive. Task and relational conflicts were also found to be negatively associated with team performance, but the results did not confirm the hypothesized mediating and moderating effect. Recommendations are provided to improve the effectiveness of cross-functional teams.

The Effect of Accounting Report Structure and Team Structure on Performance in Cross-Functional Teams

Cross-functional teams operate in dynamic environments in which it is difficult to properly align incentives. As a result the free-rider problem can emerge. This paper presents two experiments in which dominant incentives to free ride were held constant. The first experiment examined the question of whether aligning accounting report structure and team structure in such a way as to create a “group frame” helps to mitigate the free-rider problem. Accounting report structure was found to complement team structure. When properly aligned, accounting and team structures helped to resolve the free-rider problem interactively by operating as a powerful group framing device. The second experiment provides theory-consistent evidence that people outside the teams (subjects who acted as management control system designers) fail to appreciate how powerfully the design of accounting and team structures influence performance within teams. Finally, the study provides additional insight into the role that accounting structure can play in promoting informal control within cross-functional teams.

Functional Background Identity, Diversity, and Individual Performance in Cross-Functional Teams

This study's examination of demography, personal, and social identity related to functional background offers insights about individuals' performance in cross-functional teams. We considered both the interaction between identity and dissimilarity with other team members and the interaction between identity and membership in a team's minority or majority. In explaining the relationship between identity and an individual's performance as a cross-functional team member, minority/majority membership interacted significantly with identity, but actual degree of dissimilarity did not.

Effects of Team Gender and Racial Composition on Perceptions of Team Performance in Cross-Functional Teams

Research on team gender and racial composition with respect to team effectiveness is reviewed. Published literature shows a dearth of studies on this issue in work organizations. The studies published suggest that teams with even slight variability on gender and race will be less positively evaluated. These suggestions are tested in a field setting, using 31 teams in a medium-sized state regulatory agency that were rated by team members and outside raters. Results showed that members of cross-functional project teams that vary with respect to gender or racial composition rate their team as less effective than members of homogeneous (all-male or all-White) teams. Ratings of external evaluators show no differences based on team composition. Antecedents and effects of these evaluations on female and minority team members are discussed.