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Developing Cooperative Teams to Support Individual Performance and Well-Being in a Call Center in China

Author

Listed:
  • Dean Tjosvold

    (Lingnan University)

  • Nancy Yifeng Chen

    (Lingnan University)

  • Xu Huang

    (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

  • Da Xu

    (China Mobile Group Shanghai Co., Ltd.)

Abstract

The theory of cooperation and competition, though developed in the West, may be useful to develop and analyze productive teamwork in China. Three hundred and sixty-eight employees from a call center participated in a cooperative teamwork 1-day workshop followed by daily practice. Results support the hypothesis that cooperative teams strengthen relationships, reduce turnover, and improve productivity of individual team members. During the 2-month period, team members increased the number of phones answered by nearly 40%, reduced customer complaints by over 55%, and lowered the turnover by over 20%, while the control call centers had either minor increases or decreases in these measures. These results support that the theory of cooperation and competition can guide the development of effective teams in China and that cooperative teams can improve the performance of individual employees.

Suggested Citation

  • Dean Tjosvold & Nancy Yifeng Chen & Xu Huang & Da Xu, 2014. "Developing Cooperative Teams to Support Individual Performance and Well-Being in a Call Center in China," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 325-348, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:grdene:v:23:y:2014:i:2:d:10.1007_s10726-012-9314-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s10726-012-9314-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Syed Muhammad Shoaib, 2017. "Inspiring, Exploring, Activating and Organizing: A Framework for Improving Communication Skills and Product Knowledge in Call Center," Asian Journal of Social Sciences and Management Studies, Asian Online Journal Publishing Group, vol. 4(2), pages 107-115.
    2. Han Zhang & Shiying Shi & Fangfang Zhao & Xiaosu Ye & Hanyue Qi, 2023. "A Study on the Impact of Team Interdependence on Cooperative Performance in Public–Private Partnership Projects: The Moderating Effect of Government Equity Participation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-22, August.
    3. Carlos Ferreira Peralta & Maria Francisca Saldanha & Paulo Nuno Lopes & Paulo Renato Lourenço & Leonor Pais, 2021. "Does Supervisor’s Moral Courage to Go Beyond Compliance Have a Role in the Relationships Between Teamwork Quality, Team Creativity, and Team Idea Implementation?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 168(4), pages 677-696, February.
    4. Chayanika Bhayana & Vishal Gupta & Kirti Sharda, 2021. "The Role of Shared Leadership in Managing Conflicts in Multigenerational Teams: A Research Framework," Business Perspectives and Research, , vol. 9(2), pages 252-268, May.
    5. Tahir Hameed & Peter von Staden & Ki-Seok Kwon, 2019. "Impediments to Sustaining South Korea’s Economic Development: Pathologies of Cooperation in Intra-Team Dynamics of Technology Commercialization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-18, May.

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