Task Cohesion Research Articles

The role of leadership in group cohesion: insights from sport club volunteering

Purpose This study aims to address the challenge many organizational leaders face in fostering workforce cohesion. Focusing on the context of sports club volunteering, this study investigates how leaders can enhance group cohesion among volunteers. The study findings provide valuable insights applicable across various work settings. Design/methodology/approach Through a multilevel design, this study examined the role of autonomy–supportive and structuring leadership in shaping social and task cohesion within volunteer teams at the group level. In total, 557 volunteers nested within 52 nonprofit sports clubs situated in the Flemish region of Belgium were involved in this study, providing a robust foundation for our analysis. Findings This research revealed that regular volunteers form “true groups”, exhibiting substantial between-group variance in social and task cohesion and a strong within-group consensus. Additionally, the findings underscored the significance of autonomy–supportive leadership in fostering cohesion, demonstrating a positive relation with social and task cohesion at the group level. Originality/value This study demonstrates that volunteer teams, like work teams in the for-profit sector, actively engage in interpersonal exchanges within their organization, which help shape their collective sense of unity and alignment with common objectives. Leaders can enhance these interactions by fostering an autonomy–supportive environment where members feel empowered to share their perspectives and ideas. Additionally, the findings suggest that the nature of the task and the specific context can influence which leadership style is most effective, with the provision of structure also playing a role. With these insights, leaders in diverse organizational settings can effectively nurture the development of cohesive groups.

Effects of Cohesion With Teammates on Division-I Student-Athletes’ Mental Health: An Application of the Human Need to Belong and Transactional Stress Frameworks

Collegiate student-athletes are experiencing an ongoing mental health epidemic, especially concerning anxiety and depression. This study builds upon the meta-theory of the human need to belong and the transactional theory of stress and coping by framing stress as a mediator for the benefits of cohesion between teammates on mental health. Data from 121 Division-I student-athletes demonstrated a fully mediated model whereby task cohesion indirectly benefited anxiety and depression through lower stress levels. Social cohesion, however, was not significantly associated with either stress or anxiety and depression. These findings underscore teammate relationships are appraised as social stimuli and that the lack of shared task approaches and understandings among teammates can be distressing and detract from general well-being. Coaches, athletic departments, and other academic stakeholders may use this information to guide their efforts to lower student-athlete stress through their social relationships with others. This aim can become an emphasis on pre-season training, team meetings, and athlete check-ins.

On Shared Leadership Modeling: Contrasting Network and Dyadic Approaches

Shared leadership is a dynamic phenomenon that has gained attention in behavioral science and management research over the last two decades. Network modeling is frequently employed to study this phenomenon, with the recent literature favoring a node-based approach over the traditional dyad-based approach. In this study, we investigate the differential impact of these approaches on shared leadership dynamics in student teams, specifically examining their effects on team task cohesion, team social cohesion, and team performance. We utilized multilevel structural equation modeling to compare node-based and dyad-based approaches in modeling shared leadership networks. Our findings indicate that increased leadership interactions positively influenced team performance and cohesion across both approaches. The dyad-based approach demonstrated a greater effect of leadership interactions on team performance, while leadership centrality significantly impacted performance exclusively in the node-based approach. This research contributes to the field by elucidating the differential impacts of node-based and dyad-based approaches, highlighting their strengths in capturing shared leadership dynamics and centrality effects. Our results underscore the critical importance of aligning theoretical foundations and research objectives with methodological choices in shared leadership studies. These insights enhance our understanding of shared leadership measurement and its implications for team outcomes, offering valuable guidance for future empirical investigations in this domain.

Your team can make you a better person: Team cohesion is associated with off‐field prosocial behaviour via fairplay team norms and empathy in rugby union

AbstractAmple research has investigated the relationship between team cohesion and on‐field behaviour, while the association between the first and off‐field prosocial behaviour has been almost overlooked. To fill this gap, we conducted a study in a sample of Italian Rugby Union athletes to examine whether: (a) team cohesion is associated with off‐field prosocial behaviour; and (b) the underlying mechanisms of this association. We focused on the two dimensions of team cohesion, that is social and task cohesion, and hypothesized that social cohesion should be associated with off‐field individual prosocial behaviour via empathy, while the association between task cohesion and off‐field individual prosocial behaviour should be mediated by on‐field fairplay team norms. In total, 497 amateur, sub‐elite, and elite Italian Rugby Union players (128 females) took part in this study by filling out an online survey. Results revealed that social cohesion was associated with greater empathy, which in turn was associated with greater expression of off‐field prosocial behaviour. Task cohesion was associated with both greater on‐field fairplay team norms and greater empathy, which in turn was linked to more off‐field prosocial behaviour. Results are discussed with respect to the role of team cohesion in favouring the expression of prosocial behaviour off‐field, thus underlying the role of sport in fostering moral behaviour (also) in everyday community life.

Perception of coach leadership style as a predictor of team cohesion in elite women’s touch rugby

Coach leadership style can hold a bearing on the development of a cohesive and integrated team, which can influence performance goals. Cohesion, as explored in Chelladurai’s Multidimensional Model of Leadership (MML), is defined as the ability for a team to remain united in the pursuit of shared goals (Burke et al., 2014, In Beauchamp & Eyes (Eds.) Group Dynamics in Exercise and Sport Psychology (pp. 213). Taylor & Francis). To date, numerous studies have explored the impact of coach leadership styles on team cohesion, typically inferring detrimental effects of autocratic leadership styles. However, there is limited research conducted with an elite female sample, particularly in amateur international competition settings. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between perceived leadership behaviour and team cohesion within the Scotland women’s team at the European Touch Rugby Championships in 2022. Accordingly, it was hypothesised that: H1 Leadership behaviours of training and instruction, social support, positive feedback and democratic leadership would be positive predictors of task cohesion, and H2 Autocratic leadership behaviour would be negative predictors of both social and task cohesion. After securing institutional ethical approval (Ref: 33249-A-Nov/2023-47988-1) and permission from the board of Scottish Touch Association, members of the Scotland Women’s team competing at the European Championships in 2022 were contacted to take part in the study (N= 15). Participants completed the Leadership Scale for Sports (LSS) that assessed coach leadership behaviours and the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ) that assessed cohesion. Data were checked for univariate outliers and the Mahalanobis test revealed no multivariate outliers. Skewness and kurtosis established normality and multiple regression analyses was used to predict cohesion from the five LSS subscales. Overall, no significant results were found for ATGT (F5, 9 = 0.56, P > 0.05), ATGS (F5, 9 = 1.27, P > 0.05), GIT (F5, 9 = 0.66, P > 0.05), and GIS (F5, 9 = 0.70, P > 0.05). In conclusion, athlete perceived leadership did not predict team cohesion, but the direction of relationships between factors partially aligns with previous research and indicates that research with a larger sample of female elite athletes is warranted under non-retrospective conditions. Further research with female samples has the potential to provide insights into the intricate relationship between leadership and cohesion, which could improve performance for elite female teams.

Strategic-oriented multiteam system cohesion and enterprise investment decision: Evidence from CESIM platform online simulation experiment

Using CESIM platform financial data on the quality of enterprise investment decision, we assess the impact of strategic-oriented multiteam system cohesion (SOMTS cohesion) on the quality of enterprise investment decision. Based on the resource allocation theory, we found that only SOMTS social cohesion is positively associated with enterprise investment decision, but this impact decreased over the period. Further, team task cohesion moderates the effect in that the positive relationship between SOMTS task cohesion and enterprise investment decision is stronger when team task cohesion is low. The negative relationship between SOMTS task cohesion and enterprise investment decision is stronger when high team task cohesion. The study findings expand the application of multiteam systems theory, offering valuable guidance for executives and boards to enhance decision-making effectiveness from an interdependence perspective.

The perceptions of task cohesion in collaborative learning teams

Team cohesion is critical in driving successful outcomes for teams in collaborative learning settings. It shapes team behaviour, fostering shared perceptions, group synchrony and a common goal-oriented approach. This affinity becomes evident in dynamic interactions, offering insights into team behaviour through interaction data analysis. Interpreting interaction data proves complex, hampering our understanding and insights into shared team perceptions and task cohesion development. This paper used temporal motif analysis to examine the changes in team members’ cohesive perceptions and behaviours, including task cohesion, performance outcomes, engagement and group synchrony. Trace data from an online work-integrated learning environment captured learning behaviours, while responses to a questionnaire at different stages of a study program captured task cohesion and cohesive perceptions. The findings reveal teams with strong task cohesion and high performance tend to share similar cohesive perceptions driven by interdependent interactions. Conversely, teams with different cohesion perceptions have lower interaction interdependence and poorer performance. Through analysing team interaction data, this study uncovered key insights to promote positive adjustments aligning team perceptions, enhancing collaborative learning and offering support for improved performance, engagement and synchrony among teams, ultimately benefiting learning outcomes and the cultivation of skills and competencies.

"Proud, brave, and tough": women in the Canadian combat arms.

Canada's defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, emphasizes the importance of leveraging Canada's diversity to strengthen the Canadian Armed Forces. Currently, women in the Canadian military are underrepresented across most elements and occupations, especially in the combat arms occupations, including among officers and non-commissioned personnel in combat units such as infantry, armored corps, artillery, and combat engineering. Research suggests that the benefits associated with the inclusion of women in combat arms occupations include an increase in collective intelligence, operational effectiveness, task cohesion, and diversity. This article explores the gender gap in the Canadian combat arms by examining the findings from two recent qualitative research studies on the perceptions of women in the Regular Force and Primary Reserve. The authors analyze female military personnel's perceptions of women serving in the combat arms, and the ways to increase their inclusion in the military. The key findings reveal the following themes on women's perceptions of servicewomen in the combat arms: great job for those who want it; challenging environment (e.g., working within a masculinized culture, necessary toughness, tokenism and the "pink list," being treated differently, and family loyalty); unique challenges faced by women in combat roles; combat takes a toll on women's mental and physical health; and benefits of women's participation in multinational operations. The discussion highlights the need to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion, promote a culture change that fosters greater inclusion of women in the combat arms, and increase operational effectiveness through training and policies.

Importancia de la cohesión grupal sobre la persistencia en el equipo para la siguiente temporada: Un estudio longitudinal con jugadores senior y en formación de deportes de equipo

The objective of the present study was to analyze the relationship between the group cohesion of the team players with the intention of persistence in the team. For this, a total of 413 handball, basketball and soccer players aged between 16 and 39 years (M = 22.32; SD = 5.30), completed the measures of group cohesion and team persistence. Structural equation modeling was used to test the relationships between both variables. First, the results revealed positive correlations of the task and social cohesion factors with persistence in the team. Second, the regression analysis showed a positive and significant prediction between task cohesion and the intention to persist in the team. However, social cohesion did not show a significant prediction regarding the feeling of persistence to the team. Therefore, the union of the players in the training tasks and during the development of the competition, contributes to the feeling of persisting in a team, thereby increasing the block of players for several seasons.

Energy-aware cloud manufacturing service selection and scheduling optimization

ABSTRACT Cloud Manufacturing Service Selection and Scheduling (CMSSS) is vital for optimizing resource allocation and meeting task requirements. However, inattention to the preheating process of manufacturing equipment has resulted in wasted energy. To reduce manufacturing energy consumption and ensure the Quality of Service (QoS), this paper establishes a bi-level programming model for CMSSS, quantifies the preheating energy consumption of manufacturing equipment by task cohesion, and proposes an energy-aware cloud manufacturing service selection and scheduling approach. The approach selects the service composition for a task from candidate service sets, schedules subtasks to avoid service occupancy conflicts and maximises task cohesion to reduce the preheating energy consumption of manufacturing equipment by Energy-aware Scheduling Generation Scheme (ESGS). Finally, it integrates ESGS into Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) to determine the optimal task execution solution. Experimental results show that ESGS has a better Pareto front than the previous Feasible Scheduling Generation Scheme (FSGS) under seven types of QoS weights. With almost the same QoS satisfaction level, ESGS consumes, on average, 2% to 8% less energy than FSGS for preheating manufacturing equipment. In cloud manufacturing scenarios with preheating processes, ESGS can meet the QoS requirements of demanders as FSGS but with a better energy economy.

Commentary on the Standard Model of Military Group Cohesion

In response to King’s article on cohesion, this author submitted a critique, “The Essence of Military Group Cohesion” (2007), based on 20 years of research. The critique noted that King had set up several strawmen and presented a narrow focus. Furthermore, the critique introduced the Standard Model of Military Group Cohesion as a more widely useful approach. The Model was further articulated in “Key Questions and Challenges to the Standard Model of Military Group Cohesion” (2011) and “The Misconceived Construct of Task Cohesion” (2015). This current article describes major conceptual and measurement efforts leading up to the development of the Model, critiques and expansions of the Model, and needed future research to refine the Model as well as combine cohesion with other key variables such as motivation, combatant capacity, and leadership to more fully explain variation in key military outcome variables such as unit performance and retention.

Cohesion, Combat Performance and Civil-Military Relations: Contextualizing “The Word of Command”

In 2006, Armed Forces & Society published my article on small unit cohesion, “The Word of Command.” It has been the focus of considerable discussion since that time. This essay describes the origins and the purpose of that 2006 article, as an attempt to contribute to an emergent “practical” paradigm in the study of cohesion. Instead of focusing on interpersonal cohesion, my original article prioritized skill—task cohesion. This commentary argues that although the political implications of small unit cohesion was subordinate in 2006, that initial article—and my wider work on cohesion—speaks directly to a key theme in the journal: civil-military relations.

High school water polo talent development environments and team cohesion:

Organised school sport is integral to the development pathways of most South African sports. The highly competitive nature of inter-school leagues often prioritises short-term success over long-term player development. The study compared successful and less successful teams in various talent development environments (TDE) and team cohesion variables based on the log position of a high school’s tournament (u/15 and u/18 age-groups) and established correlations between these variables. A cross-sectional design was used, and 146 boys (average age: 15.51±1.23 years) completed the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire (TDEQ-5) and the Youth Sport Environment Questionnaire (YSEQ) before the 2020 Mazinter Cup. The top three u/18 teams had significantly higher TDEQ-5 (Overall), Alignment of Expectations, Support Networks, YSEQ (Overall Cohesion), Task Cohesion and Social Cohesion scores than the bottom three teams. The results underscore the well-established cohesion–performance relationship. There were no differences at the u/15 level, where players competed in this age-group for the first time. Moderately strong positive correlations existed between various TDEQ-5 and YSEQ variables. Fostering team cohesion is integral to successful TDEs. Long-term player development and team success can be pursued simultaneously.

Reciprocal relationships between teamwork execution, emergent states, and perceived team performance: a longitudinal study

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to analyze the reciprocal relationships between teamwork execution (i.e., communication, cooperation, and coordination), emergent states (i.e., group cohesion and collective efficacy), and perceived team performance among sport teams over the course of a competitive season. We also examined whether (a) emergent states mediated the relationship between teamwork execution and perceived team performance, and (b) teamwork execution mediated the relationship between emergent states and perceived team performance. We adopted a longitudinal design, taking measures of each variable near the beginning, middle, and end of teams’ seasons. Participants included 657 athletes (104 teams), aged 16–43 years (M = 23.56, SD = 5.72; 71% men), and from a range of team sports and competitive levels. Structural equation models showed teamwork execution was positively and reciprocally related to collective efficacy as well as task cohesion (but not social cohesion). Teamwork execution also predicted perceived team performance over time but a reciprocal effect was not evident. Finally, task cohesion and collective efficacy mediated the longitudinal association between teamwork execution and perceived team performance; however, teamwork execution did not mediate the relationship between those emergent states and perceived team performance. These findings provide initial evidence of longitudinal relationships between teamwork execution, two emergent states, and perceived performance. It appears particularly important that coaches and practitioners focus on developing teamwork execution from the outset of their team’s season as this appears to translate over time into greater task cohesion and collective efficacy and, in turn, team performance.

해양경찰공무원의 집단응집력 인식이 직무열의에 미치는 영향 연구

The purpose of this study is to verify the effect of collective cohesion has on marine police officials’ job enthusiasm. 150 maritime police officials were targeted for the study's progress. Group cohesion was defined as an effort for an organization's goal through intimacy and unity among members, focusing on the characteristics of personal needs, In addition, sub-variables were composed of task cohesion, social cohesion, and group attachment. Job enthusiasm is an important motivation for job performance, and sub-variables were composed of vitality, and commitment. As a result of the study, task cohesion and group attachment, which are sub-variables of group cohesion, had a positive (+) effect on vitality, which is a sub-variable of group cohesion, and a negative (-) effect on vitality, which is a sub-variable of job enthusiasm. In addition, it was found that only group attachment among the sub-variables of group cohesion had a positive (+) effect on immersion, which is a subvariable of job column. It was confirmed that maritime police officials clearly distinguished the public and private parts, such as performing their duties through high vitality.

Identity leadership and cohesion in elite sport: The mediating role of intra-team communication

One perspective on leadership that has recently gained increased attention in sport is identity leadership; however, research on elite sport teams is still in its infancy. Thus, the main purpose of this research is to investigate identity leadership in elite team sports in relation to task cohesion, and subsequently to explore the mediating role of the intra-team communication dimensions of acceptance and distinctiveness. A cross-sectional design was employed and 441 elite athletes from division 1 and division 2 in handball and ice hockey participated in the present study. Structural equation modeling was used to assess relationships between identity leadership and task cohesion, and the mediating role of acceptance and distinctiveness. Results revealed that identity leadership positively predicted task cohesion, and that this relationship was mediated by intra-team communication acceptance. In conclusion, findings in the present study expand our understanding of performance-related benefits of identity leadership in elite sport.

“It’s a fine balancing act”: exploring the effects of managing competing sponsorship responsibilities on sport employees

ABSTRACT Rationale/purpose This study explores the effects of competing team and event sponsorship programs on employees hosting the CFL Grey Cup. Specifically, we examine the influence of competing team and event sponsorship responsibilities on host team employees’ perceptions of and experiences with stress. Research design Data collection was composed of two phases: first, participant observation of event employees throughout event staging; then, a series of semi-structured interviews with employees following the event’s conclusion. Findings Our findings indicate that host team employees experienced stress when faced with conflicting sponsorship responsibilities incurred by individuals’ dual roles servicing team and event partners. This stress was mitigated through experience, task cohesion, and strong internal group identification, illustrative of the important role internal sponsee management plays in partnership delivery. Practical implications This study outlines the role that experience, group cohesion, and task clarity play on employee stress and well-being when managing sponsorship programs. The findings provide important insight into sponsorship management and servicing for different team and event sponsors, and host team employee well-being and intra-departmental management. Research contribution The findings advance sponsorship servicing scholarship and expands upon our understanding of stress, group cohesion, and sponsorship servicing from theoretical and practical perspectives.

Employee stress and its relationship to perceived collaboration, task cohesion, and adequacy of staffing.

Employee stress and its relationship to perceived collaboration, task cohesion, and adequacy of staffing.

Supplemental Material for EMPLOYEE STRESS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO PERCEIVED COLLABORATION, TASK COHESION, AND ADEQUACY OF STAFFING

Supplemental Material for EMPLOYEE STRESS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO PERCEIVED COLLABORATION, TASK COHESION, AND ADEQUACY OF STAFFING

Mediating effects of workgroup processes on the relationship between nurse turnover and nurse outcomes in hospitals.

Nurse turnover is often considered to be an outcome, and few studies have investigated its consequences in nursing care. The underlying mechanism of the nurse turnover-nurse outcome relationship has not been empirically investigated. Therefore, this study examines workgroup processes and nurse outcomes as the consequences of nurse turnover and the mediating effect of workgroup processes on the nurse turnover-nurse outcomes relationship. A cross-sectional design was adopted to investigate the data collected from 264 staff nurses. Furthermore, six-month turnover rates, workgroup processes (nurse-nurse collaboration, team cohesion), and nurse outcomes (job satisfaction, intent to leave) were utilized in the multivariate regression models. Overall, 53 (24.4%) nurses had worked in nursing units with a zero six-month turnover rate. The average mean six-month turnover rate was 15.5%. Nurse turnover adversely affected nurses' job satisfaction and several subscales of team cohesion including task cohesion and social cohesion. Team cohesion partially mediated the relationship between nurse turnover and job satisfaction. Nurse turnover decreased job satisfaction and team cohesion, and team cohesion partially mediated the nurse turnover-nurse outcomes relationship. These findings provide evidence supporting the significant adverse effects of nurse turnover and suggest the potential role of workgroup processes in explaining the underlying mechanism of the relationship between nurse turnover and nurse outcomes. Healthcare organizations must create a positive work environment to reduce nurse turnover. Further, states and countries should try to develop and establish nursing and health policies to prevent turnover.