Team Performance: Nature and Antecedents of Nonnormal Distributions

2023 | Organization Science | Citations: 0

Authors: Bradley, Kyle J.; Aguinis, Herman

Abstract: Team research typically assumes that team performance is normally distributed: t ... Expand

Abstract: Team research typically assumes that team performance is normally distributed: teams cluster around average performance, performance variability is not substantial, and few teams inhabit the upper range of the distribution. Ironically, although most team research and methodological practices rely on the normality assumption, many theories actually imply nonnormality (e.g., performance spirals, team composition, team learning, punctuated equilibrium). Accordingly, we investigated the nature and antecedents of team performance distributions by relying on 274 performance distributions including 200,825 teams (e.g., sports, politics, firefighters, information technology, customer service) and more than 500,000 workers. First, regarding their overall nature, only 11% of the distributions were normal, star teams are much more prevalent than predicted by normality, the power law with an exponential cutoff is the most dominant distribution among nonnormal distributions (i.e., 73%), and incremental differentiation (i.e., differential performance trajectories across teams) is the best explanation for the emergence of these distributions. Second, this conclusion remained unchanged after examining theory-based boundary conditions (i.e., tournament versus nontournament contexts, performance as aggregation of individual-level performance versus performance as a team-level construct, performance assessed with versus without a hard left-tail zero, and more versus less sample homogeneity). Third, we used the team learning curve literature as a conceptual framework to test hypotheses and found that authority differentiation and lower temporal stability are associated with distributions with larger performance variability (i.e., a greater proportion of star teams). We discuss implications for existing theory, future research directions, and methodological practices (e.g., need to check for nonnormality, Bayesian analysis, outlier management). Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2022.1619. Collapse

Topics: team productivity customer service anonymity systems development virtual teamwork

Methods: meta analysis statistical hypothesis test Bayesian analysis descriptive statistic chi squared test

Bystanders Join in Cyberbullying on Social Networking Sites: The Deindividuation and Moral Disengagement Perspectives

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Chan, Tommy K. H.; Cheung, Christy M. K.; Benbasat, Izak; Xiao, Bo; Lee, Zach W. Y.

Abstract: Cyberbullying on social networking sites (SNSs) escalates when bystanders join i ... Expand

Abstract: Cyberbullying on social networking sites (SNSs) escalates when bystanders join in the bullying. Although researchers have recognized the harmful consequences of joining in cyberbullying behaviors, little is known about the role of information technology (IT) and its underlying mechanisms in fueling such negative group behavior on SNSs. To address this research gap, we develop and test an integrative model that explains bystanders’ joining-in cyberbullying behaviors on SNSs. Based on the theoretical premises of the social identity model of deindividuation effects (the SIDE model), we derive two deindividuation experiences enabled by SNSs, namely experienced anonymity and experienced social identity. We further use the social network research framework to gain insights into how IT features (i.e., digital profile, search and privacy, relational ties, and network transparency) enable these two deindividuation experiences. Considering the socially undesirable nature of joining-in behaviors, we integrate the SIDE model with moral disengagement theory to explain how deindividuation experiences allow bystanders to bypass their psychological discomfort when engaging in such behaviors through the practice of moral disengagement mechanisms. Our research model is tested using a scenario survey, with two samples recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk and Facebook. Our results support the influences of IT-enabled deindividuation experiences on bystanders joining in cyberbullying and demonstrate the mediating effects of moral disengagement mechanisms in bridging the effects of deindividuation experiences on joining-in behaviors. For researchers, the integrative view offers a conceptual bridge connecting IT features, deindividuation, moral disengagement, and negative online group behaviors on SNSs. For practitioners, our findings provide platform owners and governmental agencies with directions on how to mitigate cyberbullying on SNSs and other forms of deviant and undesirable online group behaviors.History: Yulin Fang, Senior Editor; J.J. Po-An Hsieh, Associate Editor.Funding: This work was substantially supported by a Senior Research Fellow Scheme Award, Research Grant Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China [Grant HKBU SRFS2021-2H03]; and partially supported by grants from the General Research Fund, Research Grant Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China [Grants HKBU12511016 and HKBU12500020].Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2022.1161. Collapse

Topics: cyberbullying social identity anonymity Facebook social network

Methods: survey psychometrics partial least squares regression theory development post-hoc analysis

Theories: ethical theory moral disengagement theory

Exploring Teams' Temporal Factors for Determining Process Tailoring that Promotes the Evolution of Agilebased Software Development

2023 | ACM SIGMIS Database | Citations: 0

Authors: Chen, Chung-Yang; Lee, Jung-Chieh

Abstract: In contemporary software development, software process tailoring (SPT) refers to ... Expand

Abstract: In contemporary software development, software process tailoring (SPT) refers to the continual planning and adjustment of the development process, which evolves to better accommodate dynamics and meet customer needs. SPT is a critical teamwork involving the differences in time-related perceptions among team members when tailoring to adjust and refine the development. This is particularly true in agile-based projects that promote iterative development over shorter cycle times for early release; thus, temporality is critical to efficiently and effectively determine a process solution for the next iteration of time-bound development. In this regard, this study theorizes a temporal model to explore how teams' temporal leadership, temporal reflexivity and shared temporal cognitions (STC) collectively determine SPT performance in agile environments. Based on an empirical examination, we suggest facilitating the role of temporal leadership in agile development, as the results demonstrate that it not only directly increases SPT performance but also stimulates both temporal reflexivity and STC in their collateral influences on effectual development planning. Notably, the results also show that team reflexivity does not exert the same favorable effect in SPT as in the distributed team environment. Theoretical implications are considered, and practical applications of the findings are provided. Collapse

Topics: agile software development virtual teamwork co-located work systems development collaborative work

Methods: survey partial least squares regression design methodology theory development longitudinal research

AI Agents as Team Members: Effects on Satisfaction, Conflict, Trustworthiness, and Willingness to Work With

2023 | Journal of Management Information Systems | Citations: 5

Authors: Dennis, Alan R.; Lakhiwal, Akshat; Sachdeva, Agrim

Abstract: Organizations are beginning to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) agents as mem ... Expand

Abstract: Organizations are beginning to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) agents as members of virtual teams to help manage information, coordinate team processes, and perform simple tasks. How will team members perceive these AI team members and will they be willing to work with them? We conducted a 2 x 2 x 2 lab experiment that manipulated the type of team member (human or AI), their performance (high or low), and the performance of other team members (high or low). AI team members were perceived to have higher ability and integrity but lower benevolence, which led to no differences in trustworthiness or willingness to work with them. However, the presence of an AI team member resulted in lower process satisfaction. When the AI team member performed well, participants perceived less conflict compared to a human team member with the same performance, but there were no differences in perceived conflict when it performed poorly. There were no other interactions with performance, indicating that the AI team member was judged similarly to humans, irrespective of variations in performance; there was no evidence of algorithm aversion. Our research suggests that AI team members are likely to be accepted into teams, meaning that many old collaboration research questions may need to be reexamined to consider AI team members. Collapse

Topics: artificial intelligence video conference IT supported collaboration pandemic digital innovation

Methods: theory development computational algorithm statistical power analysis mediation analysis multivariate analysis of variance

Theories: theory of affordance

Fostering psychological safety in global virtual teams: The role of digital reminder nudges and team-based interventions

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Fleischmann, C.; Seeber, I.; Cardon, P.; Aritz, J.

Abstract: Psychological safety, the feeling of being comfortable to express one's ideas o ... Expand

Abstract: Psychological safety, the feeling of being comfortable to express one's ideas or opinions in teams, is a key determinant of successful global virtual teams. Even though there exists considerable knowledge about its antecedents, it is unknown how team-based (e.g., clarification of deliverables and deadlines) and technology-based (e.g., digital reminder nudges/ DRN) interventions foster psychological safety given cultural variations of team members. Based on a survey involving 148 participants, our data shows that both team-based interventions (TBI) and digital nudges foster psychological safety in global virtual teams. TBI are even more effective for high-context, indirect communicators than for low-context, direct communicators. However, digital nudges were equally effective across cultures for building psychological safety. These findings contribute to the literature on psychological safety as we show that not all antecedents hold equally across cultures and to the literature of digital nudges as we show the effectiveness of technology-based interventions in a team context. Collapse

Topics: cross cultural research virtual teamwork electronic mail Tencent QQ IS effectiveness

Methods: survey data transformation regression analysis method linear regression analysis exploratory factor analysis

What do growing early-stage digital start-ups look like? A mixed-methods approach

2023 | International Journal of Information Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Griva, Anastasia; Kotsopoulos, Dimosthenis; Karagiannaki, Angeliki; Zamani, Efpraxia D.

Abstract: Digital entrepreneurship is one of the most important and impactful forms of ent ... Expand

Abstract: Digital entrepreneurship is one of the most important and impactful forms of entrepreneurship. However, the majority of digital start-ups fail to scale, despite their potential to achieve growth. Moreover, what constitutes growth is significantly different for start-ups as compared with established firms: they have limited financial performance, and their growth cannot be accurately measured by metrics such as customers, revenues, profits, and turnover at the early stages of the new venture creation process or before the start-up has reached sus­ tainability. Therefore, the first objective of this research is to contribute to the definition of growth by examining less tangible dimensions of growth. Moreover, the second objective is to identify the characteristics of early-stage digital start-ups experiencing growth. Based on a mixed-methods approach, which combines an adapted Delphi study, a questionnaire-based survey, and a comparative case study, our results suggest that growing digital startups exhibit a set of characteristics that include: an agile culture combining clan with adhocracy; the ability to nurture their absorptive, innovative, and adaptive capabilities effectively; and a human capital with adequate entrepreneurial skills, emotional attachment to and fitness with the start-up. Collapse

Topics: digital entrepreneurship human resource management entrepreneurship innovation management absorptive capacity

Methods: survey delphi study mixed method qualitative interview case study

Theories: dynamic capabilities theory

Is bigger better? A study of the effect of group size on collective intelligence in online groups

2023 | Decision Support Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Hashmi, Nada

Abstract: What is the optimal size for online groups that use electronic communication and ... Expand

Abstract: What is the optimal size for online groups that use electronic communication and collaboration tools? Previous research typically suggested optimal group sizes of about 5 to 7 members, but this research predominantly examined in-person groups. Here we investigate online groups whose members communicate with each other using two electronic collaboration tools: text chat and shared editing. Unlike previous research that studied groups performing a single task, here we measure group performance using a test of collective intelligence (CI) that includes a combination of tasks specifically chosen to predict performance on a wide range of other tasks [72]. Our findings suggest that there is a curvilinear relationship between group size and performance and that the optimal group size in online groups is between 25 and 35. This, in turn, suggests that online groups may now allow more people to be productively involved in group decision-making than was possible with in-person groups in the past. Collapse

Topics: virtual teamwork IT supported collaboration social media computer supported cooperative work team productivity

Methods: experiment descriptive statistic computational algorithm parametric test ANOVA

Theories: theory of affordance

Social Exchange and the Reciprocity Roller Coaster: Evidence from the Life and Death of Virtual Teams

2023 | Organization Science | Citations: 1

Authors: Hergueux, Jérôme; Henry, Emeric; Benkler, Yochai; Algan, Yann

Abstract: Organizations are riddled with cooperation problems, that is, instances in which ... Expand

Abstract: Organizations are riddled with cooperation problems, that is, instances in which workers need to voluntarily exert effort to achieve efficient collective outcomes. To sustain high levels of cooperation, the experimental literature demonstrates the centrality of reciprocal preferences but has also overlooked some of its negative consequences. In this paper, we ran lab-in-the-field experiments in the context of open-source software development teams to provide the first field evidence that highly reciprocating groups are not necessarily more successful in practice. Instead, the relationship between high reciprocity and performance can be more accurately described as U-shaped. Highly reciprocal teams are generally more likely to fail and only outperform other teams conditional on survival. We use the dynamic structure of our data on field contributions to demonstrate the underlying theoretical mechanism. Reciprocal preferences work as a catalyst at the team level: they reinforce the cooperative equilibrium in good times but also make it harder to recover from a negative signal (the project dies). Our results call into question the idea that strong reciprocity can shield organizations from cooperation breakdowns. Instead, cooperation needs to be dynamically managed through relational contracts.History: This paper has been accepted for the Organization Science Special Issue on Experiments in Organizational Theory.Funding: This research was funded by the consolidator grant agreement [Grant 647870] from the European Research Council, European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (Yann Algan).Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2021.1515. Collapse

Topics: public good programming language open source virtual teamwork organizational success

Methods: experiment ordinary least square archival research descriptive statistic survey

Using Virtual Laboratories to Teach Realistic Hands-On IoT Training in Remote Settings

2023 | Communications of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Krieger, Caleb; Luse, Andy; Baham, Corey

Abstract: With an excess of interconnected devices, Internet of Things (IoT) technologies ... Expand

Abstract: With an excess of interconnected devices, Internet of Things (IoT) technologies offer an exciting area for information systems researchers; however, the inherently physical nature of IoT makes it difficult to provide hands-on laboratory exercises to remote students. Research suggests that enactive mastery provides the greatest educational improvement to individual self-efficacy, yet not all enactive experiences are the same, certainly not when individuals have no means of accessing materials physically. Through the use of a virtual laboratory and home automation IoT technology, we develop a method to teach IoT in remote settings where students can experience hands-on IoT training in remote settings. We experimentally evaluate the virtual laboratory by comparing student outcomes in a traditional setting using physical materials to those using the virtual laboratory. Results indicate that while student perceptions were lower for students using the virtual laboratory, this virtual laboratory was successful in offering students the means to perform hands-on IoT automation, with these students achieving equivalent performance metrics to those utilizing a traditional physical laboratory. Collapse

Topics: internet of things mobile system virtual teamwork self efficacy on-premises software

Methods: field experiment experiment experimental group post-hoc analysis field study

Past, present and future: A systematic multitechnique bibliometric review of the field of distributed work

2023 | Information and Organization | Citations: 0

Authors: Lamovšek, Amadeja; Černe, Matej

Abstract: This review focuses on the growing field of distrubuted work, made even more rel ... Expand

Abstract: This review focuses on the growing field of distrubuted work, made even more relevant in light of the current pandemic. Many different definitions, labels, and conceptualizations of distributed work exist, resulting in a fragmented field, threatened by a proliferation of concepts. Prior re­ views addressed a limited scope of phenomena or review approaches; are narrative, subjective, or not systematic, lacking objectivity, comprehensiveness, and reproducibility; or are not recent. Our study advances the current overview of the field by presenting a compendious review of the development and current state of the field. We implemented three bibliometric approaches (i.e., co-citation, co-word and bibliographic coupling) and interpreted the results using the “invisible colleges” framework. This produced an integrative and holistic framework of the field of distributed work, portraying its historic development and theoretical background, conceptual space, and nomological net, guiding future research on this and connected research fields. Collapse

Topics: virtual teamwork IT supported collaboration remote work pandemic innovation management

Methods: co-citation analysis bibliometric analysis literature sample literature study qualitative content analysis

Theories: organizational behavior theory