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As the Twig Is Bent: How Group Values Shape Emergent Task Interdependence in Groups

Author

Listed:
  • Ruth Wageman

    (Amos Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College, 100 Tuck Hall, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755)

  • Frederick M. Gordon

    (Institute for Work Democracy, 125 Grasmere Street, Newton, Massachusetts 02458)

Abstract

This paper proposes that task interdependence in teams, usually treated solely as structurally driven, can arise from group members’ values at the time of group formation. Findings from a longitudinal field study show that teams whose members share egalitarian values at formation develop highly interdependent task approaches and exhibit patterns of social interaction similar to those associated with high structural interdependence. By contrast, groups whose members share meritocratic values at formation develop low-interdependence task approaches and exhibit patterns of social interaction similar to those associated with low structural interdependence. Groups with shared hybrid or with mixed values show no consistent task structures or group processes, and significantly underperform relative to both the egalitarian and the meritocratic groups. We discuss the implications of these findings for the effectiveness of task-performing teams in organizations.

Suggested Citation

  • Ruth Wageman & Frederick M. Gordon, 2005. "As the Twig Is Bent: How Group Values Shape Emergent Task Interdependence in Groups," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 16(6), pages 687-700, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:16:y:2005:i:6:p:687-700
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.1050.0146
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Leslie A. Perlow & Jody Hoffer Gittell & Nancy Katz, 2004. "Contextualizing Patterns of Work Group Interaction: Toward a Nested Theory of Structuration," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 15(5), pages 520-536, October.
    2. Martha S. Feldman, 2003. "A performative perspective on stability and change in organizational routines," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 12(4), pages 727-752, August.
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    3. Bindewald, Eckart, 2017. "A survey suggests individual priorities are virtually unique: Implications for group dynamics, goal achievement and ecology," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 362(C), pages 69-79.
    4. Sendil K. Ethiraj & Pranav Garg, 2012. "The Division of Gains from Complementarities in Human-Capital-Intensive Activity," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(3), pages 725-742, June.
    5. Zhen Chen & Zixin Tang, 2024. "The effect of caring ethical climate on employees’ knowledge-hiding behavior: evidence from Chinese construction firms," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    6. Michael Boyer O'Leary & Mark Mortensen, 2010. "Go (Con)figure: Subgroups, Imbalance, and Isolates in Geographically Dispersed Teams," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 21(1), pages 115-131, February.
    7. Gebauer, Judith & Shaw, Michael J. & Gribbins, Michele L., 2006. "Task-Technology Fit for Mobile Information Systems," Working Papers 06-0107, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business.
    8. K. E. M. De Stobbeleir & S. J. Ashford & D. Buyens, 2008. "The Feedback-Seeker in his Social Labyrinth: The mediating role of goals and cooperative norms in linking empowering leadership to feedback-seeking behavior," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 08/534, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    9. Rieger, Verena & Klarmann, Martin, 2022. "The effect of cooperative team culture on innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 1256-1271.
    10. Benjamin Heslop & Kylie Bailey & Jonathan Paul & Elizabeth Stojanovski, 2018. "The PILAR Model as a Measure of Peer Ratings of Collaboration Viability in Small Groups," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-14, March.
    11. J. Daniel Sherman & Robert T. Keller, 2011. "Suboptimal Assessment of Interunit Task Interdependence: Modes of Integration and Information Processing for Coordination Performance," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(1), pages 245-261, February.
    12. María del Carmen Triana & Kwanghyun Kim & Seo‐Young Byun & Dora María Delgado & Winfred Arthur, 2021. "The Relationship Between Team Deep‐Level Diversity and Team Performance: A Meta‐Analysis of the Main Effect, Moderators, and Mediating Mechanisms," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(8), pages 2137-2179, December.

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