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Project leaders as team boundary spanners: Relational antecedents and performance outcomes

Author

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  • Sébastien Brion

    (IREGE - Institut de Recherche en Gestion et en Economie - USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry] - Université Savoie Mont Blanc)

  • Vincent Chauvet

    (IREGE - Institut de Recherche en Gestion et en Economie - USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry] - Université Savoie Mont Blanc)

  • Barthelemy Chollet

    (EESC-GEM Grenoble Ecole de Management)

  • Caroline Danièle Mothe

    (IREGE - Institut de Recherche en Gestion et en Economie - USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry] - Université Savoie Mont Blanc)

Abstract

Research has shown that NPD project leaders should engage in boundary-spanning activities. The present study tested the impact of four boundary-spanning activities on NPD project performance and analyzed the antecedents of these activities. We hypothesized that NPD project leaders' abilities to perform these activities depend on the characteristics of their personal networks -- structural holes, strength of ties, vertical and horizontal bridging ties. A Partial Least Squares test on 73 NPD projects showed that (a) "obtaining political support" and "scanning for ideas" are the boundary activities with the greatest impact on performance, (b) project leaders with strong ties in their network are more effective at these activities, (c) project leaders with structural holes in their networks are more effective in another boundary activity, "protecting the team", although this activity does not affect NPD outcomes. These results represent an important contribution to understanding how team leaders contribute to project performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Sébastien Brion & Vincent Chauvet & Barthelemy Chollet & Caroline Danièle Mothe, 2012. "Project leaders as team boundary spanners: Relational antecedents and performance outcomes," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) hal-00919228, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:gemptp:hal-00919228
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijproman.2012.01.001
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-00919228v2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Handong Tang & Ge Wang & Junwei Zheng & Lan Luo & Guangdong Wu, 2020. "How Does the Emotional Intelligence of Project Managers Affect Employees’ Innovative Behaviors and Job Performance? The Moderating Role of Social Network Structure Hole," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(4), pages 21582440209, October.
    2. Song, Meng & Jiang, Aoxue & Wang, Zhen & Hu, Heyan, 2023. "Can boundary-spanning leaders take good care of their families? A work-home resource model of leader boundary-spanning behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    3. Rukuan Xue & Hyung Rok Woo, 2022. "Influences of Boundary-Spanning Leadership on Job Performance: A Moderated Mediating Role of Job Crafting and Positive Psychological Capital," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-13, October.
    4. Andreas Tsounis & Despoina Xanthopoulou & Evangelia Demerouti & Konstantinos Kafetsios & Ioannis Tsaousis, 2023. "Workplace Social Capital: Redefining and Measuring the Construct," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 165(2), pages 555-583, January.
    5. Li He & Yang Cheng & Xuejie Su, 2020. "Research on the Sustainability of the Enterprise Business Ecosystem from the Perspective of Boundary: The China Case," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-16, August.
    6. Chau, Vinh Sum & Gilman, Mark & Serbanica, Cristina, 2017. "Aligning university–industry interactions: The role of boundary spanning in intellectual capital transfer," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 199-209.
    7. Xie Kaiji & Antonio Crupi & Alberto Minin & Fabrizio Cesaroni, 2022. "Team boundary-spanning activities and performance of technology transfer organizations: evidence from China," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 33-62, February.
    8. Santistevan, Diana, 2022. "Boundary-spanning coordination: Insights into lateral collaboration and lateral alignment in multinational enterprises," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(3).

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