Assessing developmental space in teams
Purpose – The aim of this paper is to develop an instrument to assess the developmental space that teams create; examine whether creating more developmental space leads to greater satisfaction with team results; and decide which of three models best predicts perceived results. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a quantitative study of individuals (N = 257). An instrument was designed to assess developmental space and was validated with a factor analysis. Multiple regression analyses were used to examine whether creating developmental space led to greater satisfaction with team results. Findings – This study confirms the four-factor structure of developmental space suggested by earlier research. Creating more developmental space is positively related to perceived team results. Practical implications – This research highlights the importance of creating developmental space and provides teams with an instrument to assess their developmental space as a starting point for improvement. Originality/value – The interactions teams use are crucial in explaining the effects of teamwork, but seem underexposed in team research. Creating developmental space is a relatively new concept, hitherto only researched qualitatively. This empirical study extends and endorses previous research on developmental space by providing a quantitative assessment.