Team Social Capital Research Articles

Top management team social capital, digital technology and enterprise innovation performance

ABSTRACT Top management team (TMT) social capital plays an important role in obtaining innovation resources and improving enterprise innovation performance (EIP). However, there are few literatures on the impact of different dimensions of TMT social capital on EIP, especially in the digital era. Taking the listed companies disclosed by Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2008–2019 as samples, based on resource-based view and social network theory, a moderated mediation model is constructed. This paper examines the mechanism of TMT social capital affecting EIP, the mediating role of digital technology and the moderating role of network position. The results show that, TMT overseas capital and academic capital have significant positive effects on EIP; digital technology mediates the relationship between overseas capital, academic capital and EIP; network position moderates the relationship between academic capital and digital technology. Furthermore, the mediating role of digital technology in the relationship between academic capital and EIP is moderated by network position. The research conclusion enriches the research on TMT social capital, digital technology and EIP, and provides helpful guidance for enterprises to make full use of TMT social capital to manage digital technology and improve EIP.

A configurational analysis on career success of scientific and technological innovation talents in universities.

Increasing the career success of scientific and technological innovation talents has become an important means of keeping and using talents in countries around the world. However, the problem has not been solved effectively. Thirty-five cases were chosen in this study. The combined effects of human capital, psychological capital, micro-social capital, team social capital, and macro-social capital on the career success of scientific and technological innovation talents, as well as relevant influencing mechanisms, were discussed using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). Results demonstrate that: (a) while a single factor cannot be the only condition for the high career success of scientific and technological innovation talents in universities, increasing macro-social capital plays a relatively universal role in a high career success rate. (b) There are three paths driving the high career success of scientific and technological innovation talents in universities. (c) There are two paths driving the non-high career success of scientific and technological innovation. Both have characteristics of absent psychological capital and micro-social capital. Moreover, the driving mechanism of high career success has an asymmetrical causal relationship. Research conclusions are not only conducive to expanding the research perspectives of social capital theory and career success, but also provide valuable insight into how to stimulate the career success of scientific and technological innovation talents in universities.

Effects of high-performance work system on team ambidexterity in China: a dual path model based on emergence perspective

ABSTRACT Innovation is a collective endeavour with a duality of ‘exploration’ and ‘exploitation’. Balancing the paradox between the two is the key to improving team innovation performance. Based on emergence theory, we build a dual-path model linking high-performance work system (HPWS) and team ambidexterity. Using multi-source data of 338 employees nested in 57 work teams, we found a positive relationship between HPWS and team ambidexterity, which is mediated by team social capital and team psychological capital respectively. Moreover, team leadership support moderates the mediating effects of team social and psychological capital.

Untangling the team social capital–team innovation link: The role of proportional task conflict as well as group- and differentiated individual-focused transformational leadership

Findings from prior research on the relationship between a team’s social network architecture and team innovation have been inconclusive. Integrating social network theory with input–process–output models of team innovation, our research aims to reconcile the mixed findings in the literature by introducing a novel process perspective as well as highlighting a relevant contingency factor to untangle the team social capital–team innovation link. We propose that team social capital, operationalized as bridging and bonding social capital, negatively influences team innovation via team proportional task conflict, which is the level of task conflict teams experience proportional to the general level of team conflict (i.e. task, relationship and process conflict). In addition, we expected group and differentiated individual-focused transformational leadership to buffer the negative indirect effect of team social capital on team innovation via team proportional task conflict. Results from time-lagged data collected from research and development teams in Iraq revealed that teams with bonding and bridging social capital are less innovative because they experience less proportional task conflict. Furthermore, group-focused transformational leadership buffered the negative indirect relationship of team bridging social capital on team innovation via proportional task conflict. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Social capital and knowledge integration in interdisciplinary research teams: a multilevel analysis

PurposeEffective knowledge integration is vital for decision making in interdisciplinary research (IDR) teams. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the antecedents of knowledge integration. This study aims to examine how social capital at different levels and their interaction influences knowledge integration in IDR teams. Specifically, this study explores the moderating role of team social capital in the relationship between individual social capital and knowledge integration.Design/methodology/approachA survey on 346 individuals from 46 IDR teams in a research university in China is conducted. A multilevel analysis of the hierarchical linear model is used to process the sociometric data.FindingsResults reveal that team social capital interacts with individual social capital by influencing knowledge integration. At the individual level, tie strength and structural equivalence have a positive influence on knowledge integration. There is an inverted U-shaped relationship between betweenness centrality and knowledge integration. Furthermore, team cohesion negatively moderates the positive effect of tie strength and structural equivalence on knowledge integration. No support is found for the moderating role of team cohesion on the effect of betweenness centrality.Originality/valueFirst, different from previous research on social capital at single levels, this study links the individual-level and the team-level views to explore the effects of social capital on knowledge integration. Second, this study enriches research on inducing factors of knowledge integration. Third, this study extends social capital research and knowledge integration research to the IDR team context.

Team Social Capital and Team Innovation: The Role of Task Conflict and Transformational Leadership

Drawing on the input-process-output model of teamwork, this study examines team innovation using a social capital lens. We propose that team social capital, operationalized as bridging and bonding social capital, negatively influences team innovation vi a team proportional task conflict, which is the level of task conflict teams experience proportional to relationship and process conflict. In addition, we expected group and individual-focused transformational leadership (TFL) to buffer the negative indirect effect of team social capital on team innovation. Results from time-lagged data collected from 324 employees in 45 research and development (R&D) teams supported most of our predictions. We found that teams with both bonding and bridging social capital are less innovative because they experience less proportional task conflict. Furthermore, group-focused TFL buffered the indirect relationship for teams with bridging social capital in that the negative effect on team innovation was only present for teams with leaders displaying low as opposed to high levels of group-focused TFL. However, a buffering effect of individual-focused TFL for teams with bonding ties was not detected. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of these findings.

The dynamics of social capital in first-year teaching teams: a comparative case study analysis

ABSTRACT Developing social capital in university teaching teams is a worthwhile exercise which can benefit students, educators and wider institutions through improvements in areas such as knowledge sharing, a critical component of effective teams. This case study analysis explores the social capital and knowledge sharing of two teaching teams at an Australian university. It found that strong positive signs of ‘bonding’ social capital were evident in terms of trust, relatedness and support, and these attributes were seen to be important in assisting the performance of these teams especially the sharing of knowledge. However, our research findings suggest that new information was more likely to be sourced internally rather than externally, which may pose a risk of lack of new ideas and innovation. A further finding was that existing social capital within the university teaching teams differed, suggesting that social capital development should not entail a one-size-fits-all approach. This research presents a useful social capital evaluation tool and provides leaders with the information needed to attend to group-specific nuances in developing team social capital, including knowledge sharing and access to new ideas. Meeting team-specific social capital needs through cultivating trust, belonging and support can benefit the teaching team, students and the institution.

Exploring the Impact of Information and Communication Technology on Team Social Capital and Construction Project Performance

AbstractThis study aims to assess the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on team social capital (SC) and project performance in the construction domain. A theoretical model of...

Team-bonding and team-bridging social capital: conceptualization and implications

PurposeThe paper aims to propose a conceptualization of two types of team social capital: team-bonding and team-bridging social capital. Throughout the conceptual effort, the paper provides suggestions for future research avenues that link team social capital, as a distinct team-level construct, with other team research topics.Design/methodology/approachThe conceptualization of team social capital is based on a review and synthesis of prior research about social networks. The propositions about the relationships of team social capital with other team process and effectiveness variables are developed within the classical input-mediator-output framework.FindingsThe conceptualizations of team-bonding and team-bridging social capital and the common measures for each are provided. Moreover, a series of testable propositions regarding the associations between team social capital and team process, the influence of team social capital on team effectiveness and the antecedents of team social capital are made.Research limitations/implicationsBecause of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further.Originality/valueThis paper elaborates the concept of team social capital and specifies its implications to various team phenomena. With this conceptual effort, this paper has advanced our knowledge about the nature and role of team social capital in team research.

Race, Social Capital, Adjustment, and Intercollegiate Athletics: The Opportunity to Improve Social Acclimation at Academic Institutions

ABSTRACTContemporary research suggests that there is a stratification of adjustment levels for collegiate students. Past scholars have found that ethnic minority students at predominantly White institutions have lower adjustment scores than White students. Further, ethnic minority student-athletes have lower levels of adjustment when on the campus at large, but interestingly they have shown higher levels of adjustment when in the team setting. These circumstances prompted the question: What impact does team social capital have on ethnic minority student-athletes’ adjustment variables? Over 1000 student-athletes were surveyed. Results of the study showed that team social capital is a mediator between race and adjustment. Thus, practical implications are such that athletic teams should consider extending the team concept to the campus environment as much as possible to increase the adjustment of their ethnic minority student-athletes and potentially mitigate some of the negative consequences of the lack of adjustment.

Explaining knowledge sharing with social capital theory in information systems development projects

Purpose– Owing to their complex and knowledge-intensive nature, information systems development (ISD) projects require effective collaboration between business and technology experts. In this regard, social capital theory may provide a valuable framework and insight into explaining knowledge sharing behavior in an ISD context. The purpose of this paper is to expand the theory of knowledge sharing as developed thus far in the ISD project context using the full-blown team social capital theory.Design/methodology/approach– The expertise and communication effectiveness of business and technology professionals were posited as antecedents of team social capital and knowledge sharing. The research model for this study integrates expertise, communication, knowledge sharing, social capital, and team performance into a structural equation modeling. The research model was empirically tested with a data set from business and technology professional pairs collected from 115 ISD project teams.Findings– The results indicated that team social capital and knowledge sharing have significant influences on team performance. Team social capital appears to have a stronger influence on knowledge sharing than business and technology expertise. Communication effectiveness and technology expertise are important antecedents to raise team social capital.Originality/value– In this study, the social capital theory is applied toward enhancing the theory of knowledge sharing in ISD project teams. General social capital construct and measures are adopted and modified into the team social capital measures and validated empirically.

Raising team social capital with knowledge and communication in information systems development projects

Information systems development is a knowledge intensive collaboration project demanding high level of team social capital especially between business and technology experts. In this study, team social capital is conceptualized with three sub-constructs: social ties, trust and shared vision. Knowledge and communication by business and technology experts are hypothesized as critical antecedents of team social capital leading to team performance. A survey has been conducted collecting data from pairs of business and technology experts in 126 project teams. Data analysis largely confirmed the research model. Social ties seem to precede shared vision and trust. Trust seems to have a stronger association with the performance compared with shared vision. Knowledge and communication of both parties are found to be important, but, interestingly, business professionals' knowledge and communication seem to have a stronger influence in forming the team social capital. Implications and further studies are discussed with limitations.

Project Team Social Capital, Safety Behaviors, and Performance: A Multi-level Conceptual Framework

The current Hong Kong construction industry safety state of affairs are undesirable. While a myriad of safety approaches have been adopted in the industry through normative compliance, error prevention, and climate intervention, the situations remain dismal. One of the reasons for the ineffectiveness of these approaches to ensure construction projects’ safety performance is the mismatch between the approaches’ rigid and static formulations of construction operations that are put to use in the operations that are emergent and dynamic. We propose that the deficiency can be rectified through the project team adaptive inputs and interactions that are grounded in the project team social capital. We (1) explore such possibility by establishing the theoretical underpinning through extant literature and (2) propose a conceptual framework befitting a relational approach to ensuring project safety outcomes. To accomplish the objectives set forth above, we conduct literature search and review in the domains of social capital, construction safety, social psychology, and small team research. Through the process of convergent and refinement of the literary domains, we put forth a conceptual framework that can be put into empirical test. The framework reveals that project team social capital can be modeled as a multi-level phenomenon emanating from individual level network structure. These structural features, together with the relational and cognitive features at the group level, influence the individual safety behaviors, and in turn, their safety outcomes. The analysis through literature review and modeling have shown that project team members’ safety behaviors are influenced by the interaction of both the individual and group level relational phenomena. This study enriches current safety research agenda by highlighting the effects of team dynamics in safety performance. In this respect, we also provide methodological suggestions to empirically test the framework.

Role of Leadership Competencies and Team Social Capital in it Services

As the nature of work changes into team-based knowledge work, the social capital among team members becomes more and more critical. This study applies social capital theory to IT service team environment. The research model of this study includes emotional, cognitive, and social intelligence competencies of project managers (PM) as they lead to the project performance, while team social capital is posited as a mediator between these leadership competencies and team project performance. A PLS analysis of 285 data points collected via a validated questionnaire revealed the followings: (1) emotional intelligence competencies of PM directly influence the project performance, (2) social intelligence competencies of PM indirectly influence project performance only via team social capital, and (3) cognitive intelligence competencies of PM maintains direct influence on project performance in shorter term projects, but indirect influence only via the accumulated team social capital in longer term projects. The analysis also reveals that it takes time to grow team social capital. Implications of the findings are discussed, and further studies are suggested.

Human capital diversity in the creation of social capital for team creativity

SummaryWe highlight the social aspects of team creativity by proposing that team creativity is influenced by two types of team social capital: bridging and bonding social capital. Going beyond the structural perspective, we posit that team‐level human capital diversity is one of the potential antecedents of social capital for team creativity. We suggest that network structures are formed by teammates' interactions, which are largely the result of differences in their individual characteristics. The results of an empirical study using 36 teams of MBA students showed that the interaction of team‐bridging social capital with team‐bonding social capital was positively and significantly related to team creativity. Knowledge variety and knowledge disparity had a joint effect on team‐bridging social capital, and knowledge separation was negatively related to team‐bonding social capital. Moreover, team social capital mediated the effects of knowledge diversity on team creativity. Our study has several important implications for team creativity, social networks, and diversity research. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

IT프로젝트 관리자의 리더십 역량 : 팀 내 사회적 자본 관점에서

Abstract 논문투고일：2011년 10월 18일 논문수정완료일：2011년 12월 13일 논문게재확정일：2011년 12월 18일* 본 연구는 2009년도 교육과학기술부의 재원으로 한국연구재단의 지원을 받아 수행된 기초연구 사업임(No.KRF- 2009-327-B00208).** 연세대학교 정보대학원*** 연세대학교 정보대학원 교수, 교신저자This study explores the applicability of social capital theory in IT project management. Specifically, an empirical model is developed using different types of leadership competen cies (emotional, cognitive, and social) as independent constructs impacting IT project performance. Social capital sha red among team members are measured and placed as a mediating construct between leadership competencies and pe rformance. Using PLS analysis of 120 data points collected through a survey of IT project participants in two la rge electronic manufacturers, direct and indirect impacts of leadership competencies are explicated. Research results rev eal that emotional leadership competency seems to directly influence the project performance but not through team social capital, while social leadership competency seems to indirectly influence the project performance through t eam social capital but not directly onto the project performance. Cognitive leadership competency is the only leader ship competency that maintains direct and indirect influence on project performance. Total effect of cognitive com petency on project performance is almost two times larger than the total effect of emotional leadership competency and six times larger than the total effect of social leadership competency. Implications of findings are discussed at the end, and further studies are suggested.

Using Identities to Explore Social Capital Differences Among White and African American Student Athletes

Research suggests African American male student-athletes tend to overemphasize their athlete role to the detriment of their academic performance (Harrison 2000). This article extends the literature by examining racial differences in the development of social capital among student-athletes. Results showed racial differences with White student-athletes reporting higher social network totals, trust, and overall social capital. Yet, no significant differences existed amongst student-athletes in either team social networks or team social capital. Results suggest African American athletes have developed a sense of reciprocity at the athletic team level, but this social capital does not extend beyond the sport team setting.

Exploring the roles of social capital and team‐efficacy in virtual entrepreneurial team performance

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the role various forms of social capital play in the performance of entrepreneurial teams in a virtual context.Design/methodology/approachThe relationships between various social capital dimensions – i.e. relational capital, cognitive capital, entrepreneurial orientation and team‐efficacy – and entrepreneurial team performance are investigated. Students in an upper division course were assigned to a project team in which they consulted with a company and collaborated virtually among team members to develop a database to add value to an existing company's operations. Respondents’ perceptions of team social capital were measured via an online survey. Team performance was evaluated independently by course instructors.FindingsResults reveal that the perceptions of social capital in the form of relational capital, cognitive capital and entrepreneurial orientation are significantly positive predictors of team‐efficacy. Moreover, team‐efficacy is a strong positive predictor of entrepreneurial team performance in a virtual context. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.Originality/valueThis study makes three contributions to entrepreneurship research. First, it extends previous theory by systematically identifying the influence of a number of social capital dimensions as antecedents to entrepreneurial team performance. Second, empirical results extend our understanding of the impact of social capital by highlighting the distinction between social capital as a static and dynamic resource. The third contribution of this study is our explicit focus on how social capital resources might be identified and strategically leveraged in contemporary (e.g. virtual) contexts.

Analyzing Social Capital to Improve Product Development Team Performance: Action-Research Investigations in the Aerospace Industry With TRW and GKN

Social capital is gaining preeminence as a concept to interpret the behavior of organizational entities, especially in new product development (NPD). Significant research is accumulating that links the performance of NPD teams with the patterns of social capital that they exhibit. The research suggests that analyzing teams' social capital could provide insights to improve substantively the performance of NPD teams. However, the pragmatic use of social capital presents a number of difficulties. Investigating and resolving these issues is vital if the concept of social capital can be used to achieve performance improvement. This paper reports on an investigation in the aerospace industry, the aim of which was to establish the feasibility of mapping and analyzing a team's social capital in order to provide insights and to highlight productive interventions. The investigation used an action-research methodology involving the codevelopment and coimplementation of solutions with two multinational companies, GKN Aerospace and TRW Aerospace Group, and a management consultancy organization, the Rossmore Group. This paper reports on the encapsulation of social capital research in a management tool and its application within GKN and TRW. The results of the investigation indicate that analyzing the social capital of NPD teams provides a useful approach to improving their performance.

How to Make the Team: Social Networks vs. Demography as Criteria for Designing Effective Teams

We compare two alternative approaches for evaluating the potential of a work group or team: one that focuses on team members' demographic characteristics and one that focuses on the members' social networks. Given that people's network contacts often share their demographic attributes (i.e., the network is homophilous), the two approaches seem equivalent and the first seems preferable because it is easier to implement. In this paper, we demonstrate several important limits to this rationale. First, we argue and show, in an analysis of 1,518 project teams in a contract research and development firm, that even when internal organizational networks are significantly homophilous with respect to demographic variables, the very logic of the causal structure that underlies theories of demographic diversity carries ambiguous performance implications. This ambiguity is due to the fact that demographic diversity has opposing effects on two social network variables—internal density and external range—each of which has a positive effect on a team's performance. We also demonstrate that a focus on demographic criteria is problematic because the demographic makeup of an organization can place inherent limits on a manager's ability to shape the demographic composition of a team. The ambiguous performance implications and the inherent limits placed on a manager's ability to manage a team's demography reduce the likelihood that a manager's interventions will be successful. The performance implications of managing a team's social capital, however, are clear.