Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) for Modeling Multiagent Systems

The formation of high-performance teams has been a constant challenge for organizations, which despite considering human capital as one of the most important resources, it still lacks the means to allow them to have a better understanding of several factors that influence the formation of these teams. In this sense, studies also demonstrate that teamwork has a significant impact on the results presented by organizations, in which human behavior is highlighted as one of the main aspects to be considered in the building of work teams. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator seeks to classify the behavioral preferences of individuals around eight characteristics, which grouped as dichotomies, describe different psychological types. With it, researchers have sought to expand the ability to understand the human factor, using strategies with multiagent systems that, through experiments and simulations, using computer resources, enable the development of artificial agents that simulate human actions. In this work, we present an overview of the research approaches that use MBTI to model agents, aiming at providing a better knowledge of human behavior. Additionally, we make a preliminary discussion of how these results could be explored in order to advance the studies of psychological factors' influence in organizations' work teams formation.

The Role of Resources in the Success or Failure of Diverse Teams: Resource Scarcity Activates Negative Performance-Detracting Resource Dynamics in Social Category Diverse Teams

Increasing the social category diversity of work teams is top of mind for many organizations. However, such efforts may not always be sufficiently resourced, given the numerous resource demands facing organizations. In this paper, we offer a novel take on the relationship between social category diversity and team performance, seeking to understand the role resources may play in both altering and explaining the performance dynamics of diverse teams. Specifically, our resource framework explains how the effects of social category diversity on team performance can be explained by intrateam resource cognitions and behaviors and are dependent on team resource availability. We propose that in the face of scarcity in a focal resource (i.e., budget), diverse (but not homogenous) teams generalize this scarcity perception to fear that all resources (i.e., staff, time, etc.) are scarce, prompting performance-detracting power struggles over resources within the team. We find support for our model in three multimethod team-level studies, including two laboratory studies of interacting teams and a field study of work teams in research and development firms. Our resource framework provides a new lens to study the success or failure of diverse teams by illuminating a previously overlooked danger in diverse teams (negative resource cognitions (scarcity spillover bias) and behaviors (intrateam power struggles)), which offers enhanced explanatory power over prior explanations. This resource framework for the study of team diversity also yields insight into how to remove the roadblocks that may occur in diverse teams, highlighting the necessity of resource sufficiency for the success of diverse teams.

Investigación-acción en las prácticas pedagógicas sobre la enseñanza del cuidado: Experiencia docente

Introduction: The teaching of care requires special attention, as well as recognizing its representational nature, what is its dynamics and what are its relationships with the practice itself. Objective: To intervene in the training of teachers for the teaching of care, through the interpretation and awareness of their pedagogical practices that transcend the academic performance of the students of the Nursing Degree. Methodology: Action research with a qualitative-interpretive approach. The intervention was carried out through a course workshop on the teaching of care, given by the researchers to 30 practice and clinical teachers in undergraduate Nursing. The course was structured using the Charles Maguerez Arc methodology in its five stages. The meetings of the sessions were observed in a participatory way, recorded in a field diary and audio-recorded, for later transcription and content analysis. Categories of analysis were formed from the reflections and participation of the teachers: a) Meaning of the teaching of care, b) Pedagogical practices based on the example (hidden curriculum) and, c) Identification of needs to improve pedagogical practices. Results: Among the professors' speeches it was identified that the meaning of the teaching of care transcends in the human relationship; those pedagogical practices must promote the relationship and accompaniment of the student, as well as empowerment, security, and self-confidence, and that there are pedagogical and didactic needs to favor learning and link theory and practice. Conclusions: It is necessary to strengthen work teams and continuous training in the teaching of care, distinguishing that there are opportunities for improvement in the development of pedagogical practices. Introducción: La enseñanza del cuidado requiere especial atención, así como reconocer su naturaleza representacional, cuál es su dinámica y cuáles son sus relaciones con la propia práctica. Objetivo: Intervenir en la capacitación de profesores para la enseñanza del cuidado, mediante la interpretación y concientización de sus prácticas pedagógicas que trasciendan en el desempeño académico de los estudiantes de la Licenciatura en Enfermería. Metodología: Investigación-acción con enfoque cualitativo-interpretativo. La intervención se llevó a cabo mediante un curso-taller sobre la enseñanza del cuidado, impartido por las investigadoras a 30 docentes de práctica y clínica en el pregrado de Enfermería. El curso se estructuró mediante la metodología del Arco de Charles Maguerez, en sus cinco etapas. Los encuentros de las sesiones fueron observados de forma participante, registrados en un diario de campo y audio-grabados, para posterior transcripción y análisis de contenido. Se conformaron categorías de análisis a partir de las reflexiones y participaciones de los docentes: a) Significado de la enseñanza del cuidado, b) Prácticas pedagógicas a partir del ejemplo (currículum oculto) y c) Identificación de necesidades para mejorar las prácticas pedagógicas. Resultados: Entre los discursos de los profesores se identificó que el significado de la enseñanza del cuidado trasciende en la relación humana; que las prácticas pedagógicas tienen que promover la relación y acompañamiento al estudiante, así como el empoderamiento, la seguridad y confianza en sí mismo y que existen necesidades pedagógicas y didácticas para favorecer el aprendizaje y vincular la teoría y la práctica. Conclusiones: Se requiere fortalecer los equipos de trabajo y la capacitación continua en la enseñanza del cuidado, distinguiendo que existen oportunidades de mejora en el desarrollo de las prácticas pedagógicas. Resumo:O ensino do cuidado requer atenção especial, além de reconhecer seu caráter representacional, quais são suas dinâmicas e quais são suas relações com a própria prática. Objetivo: Intervir na formação de professores para o ensino do cuidado, por meio da interpretação e conscientização de suas práticas pedagógicas que transcendem o desempenho acadêmico dos alunos do Curso de Enfermagem.Metodologia: Pesquisa-ação com abordagem qualitativa-interpretativa. A intervenção foi realizada por meio de um curso-oficina sobre ensino do cuidado, ministrado pelas pesquisadoras a 30 professores de prática e clínica do curso de graduação em Enfermagem. O curso foi estruturado utilizando a metodologia do Arco de Charles Maguerez, em suas cinco etapas. Os encontros das sessões foram observados de forma participativa, registrados em diário de campo e audiogravados, para posterior transcrição e análise de conteúdo. As categorias de análise foram formadas a partir das reflexões e da participação dos professores: a) Sentido do ensino do cuidado, b) Práticas pedagógicas baseadas no exemplo (currículo oculto) e, c) Identificação de necessidades de aprimoramento das práticas pedagógicas.Resultados: Dentre as falas dos professores, identificou-se que o sentido do ensino do cuidado transcende na relação humana; que as práticas pedagógicas devem promover a relação e o acompanhamento do aluno, bem como o empoderamento, a segurança e a autoconfiança e que existem necessidades pedagógicas e didáticas que favoreçam a aprendizagem e vinculem teoria e prática.Conclusões: É necessário o fortalecimento das equipes de trabalho e a formação continuada no ensino do cuidado, destacando que há oportunidades de melhoria no desenvolvimento das práticas pedagógicas.

Sustainable Team Design: A Challenge to Traditional Beliefs in Information-Intensive Service Industries

Sustainable management activities focus on creating value for organizations. This is particularly relevant in service organizations as they are under increasing pressure to capture and process information efficiently. We advocate that the amount of information and the way teams process this information have a substantial impact on an organization’s ability to sustain a competitive advantage. This study addresses a gap in the literature by examining the impact of the level of information intensity on performance in the service industry. It also contributes to the debate about whether team structure facilitates performance in a service-based organization. A longitudinal design was employed to determine whether information-intensive processes influence performance, and if so, whether the impact differs between team designs. To do this, data were collected from 24,925 motor insurance claims over two distinct time periods. While our findings confirm that information intensity has a direct impact on the performance of claims processing, they also challenge traditional beliefs about self-managed work teams’ dominance. By adopting a more nuanced and context-specific perspective, we discovered that in certain situations the production line approach to team design was more productive than self-directed work teams in respect to critical operational tasks. This research sheds light on a relatively unexplored aspect of the service industry, has implications for sustainable management practices relating to team design, and provides a rich vein for future research studies.

Team Social Media Usage and Team Creativity: The Role of Team Knowledge Sharing and Team-Member Exchange

Given that work teams have been widely used in a variety of organizations to complete critical tasks and that the use of social media in work teams has been growing, investigating whether and how team social media usage (TSMU) affects team creativity is imperative. However, little research has empirically explored how TSMU affects team creativity. This study divides TSMU into two categories, namely, work-related TSMU and relationship-related TSMU. Basing on communication visibility theory and social exchange theory, this study constructs a moderating mediation model to understand how TSMU affects team creativity. In this model, team knowledge sharing is used as mediating role and team-member exchange (TMX) is used as moderating role. Two-wave research data collected from 641 employees in 102 work teams in Chinese organizations are used for regression analysis. Results show that (1) Work-related TSMU and relationship-related TSMU are positively affect team creativity. (2) Team knowledge sharing plays a partly mediating effect on the relationship between work-related TSMU and team creativity and that between relationship-related TSMU and team creativity. (3) TMX not only positively moderates the indirect effect of work-related TSMU and relationship-related TSMU on team creativity through team knowledge sharing. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.

On the Approach to Optimization of Restoration Works at Railway Facilities

The article considers an approach to solving the problem of finding the optimal option for the work teams to carry out a complex of restoration works at railway facilities destroyed as a result of an emergency. An approach to solving this problem is proposed, based on the methods of graph theory, fuzzy set theory, and mathematical programming. The proposed approach is illustrated by a meaningful example.

Ethnic Differences in Context: Does Emotional Conflict Mediate the Effects of Both Team- and Individual-Level Ethnic Diversity on Emotional Strain?

Work teams are becoming increasingly heterogeneous with respect to their team members’ ethnic backgrounds. Two lines of research examine ethnic diversity in work teams: The compositional approach views team-level ethnic heterogeneity as a team characteristic, and relational demography views individual-level ethnic dissimilarity as an individual member’s relation to their team. This study compares and contrasts team-level ethnic heterogeneity and individual-level ethnic dissimilarity regarding their effects on impaired well-being (i.e., emotional strain) via team- and individual-level emotional conflict. Fifty teams of retail chain salespeople (n = 602) participated in our survey at two points of measurement. Based on the ethnic background of team members, we calculated team-level ethnic heterogeneity that applied to all members, and individual-level ethnic dissimilarity within the team that varied according to each member’s ethnic background. Multilevel path modeling showed that high levels of team-level ethnic heterogeneity were related to high levels of emotional strain via team-level emotional conflict. However, the opposite was found for individual-level ethnic dissimilarity. We discussed this difference by contextualizing individual-level ethnic dissimilarity in the team-level heterogeneity and social status of ethnic groups in society at large. Our findings suggest that the social status of the ethnic group to which team members belong may impact how ethnic diversity relates to team processes and well-being.

Gestión organizacional y productividad laboral en las unidades educativas en el Sur De Manabí De Ecuador

Con el objetivo de conocer la gestión organizacional y la dinámica de productividad laboral del talento humano para el funcionamiento y evolución de las instituciones educativas del Distrito 13D03 de la zona 4 en Jipijapa – Manabí, se realizó un estudio para identificar si se aplican o no los procesos administrativos, si la gestión realizada en la organización es correcta, y con ello se logra la productividad laboral del talento humano. La metodología utilizada en la investigación fue cualitativa - cuantitativa, las técnicas aplicadas fueron: encuestas al personal docente, administrativo y de servicio, y la entrevista, a los directivos de los planteles educativos. El número de la muestra correspondió a 536 personas. En los resultados obtenidos, se determinó que no se está llevando de forma eficiente la gestión organizacional, y con ello el talento humano se siente insatisfecho por la no aplicación de los reglamentos en la aplicación de planes de incentivos económicos o no económicos, controles inadecuados de horarios de trabajo, sueldos y salarios indignos, carencia de capacitaciones en áreas administrativas, así como en desarrollo personal, incorrecta comunicación, deficiente colaboración de equipos de trabajo, y demás deberes y derechos del trabajador. Por lo que se concluye que la inexistencia de un modelo de gestión organizacional ajustado a las necesidades del entorno, influye de manera directa en la productividad de quienes laboran en las unidades educativas. With the objective of knowing the organizational management and the dynamics of labor productivity of human talent for the operation and evolution of the educational institutions of District 13D03 of zone 4 in Jipijapa - Manabí, a study was carried out to identify whether or not the administrative processes, if the management carried out in the organization is correct, and with this the labor productivity of human talent is achieved. The methodology used in the research was qualitative - quantitative, the techniques applied were: surveys of the teaching, administrative and service personnel, and the interview with the directors of the educational establishments. The number of the sample corresponded to 536 people. In the results obtained, it was determined that the organizational management is not being carried out efficiently, and with this human talent feels dissatisfied by the non-application of the regulations in the application of economic or non-economic incentive plans, inadequate controls of unworthy working hours, wages and salaries, lack of training in administrative areas, as well as in personal development, incorrect communication, poor collaboration of work teams, and other duties and rights of the worker. Therefore, it is concluded that the lack of an organizational management model adjusted to the needs of the environment directly influences the productivity of those who work in educational units.

From face-to-face to virtual teams: work organization during the Covid-19 pandemic

Context: Work teams in the Human Resources and Financial Department of a large consumer goods company needed to reorganize and adapt themselves to the compulsory remote work imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Through daily online meetings, they interacted, learned to deal with the new scenario, perceived difficulties, and found opportunities. Now, they are facing uncertainty about to what extent this work organization will be maintained in the medium- and long-term. Teaching goals: Analyze the characteristics of the work-teams, reflect on the factors that facilitated and hindered the performance of virtual teams, and assess the challenges faced by the virtual teams created on a compulsory basis. The case generates reflection about face-to-face and virtual teamwork, as well as on barriers, facilitators, and challenges for the implementation of remote work, which enables fostering competencies and skills of recognition, definition, and resolution of problems, strategic thinking, and proposals for changes in work organization. As it presents different contexts and opinions, sometimes contradictories, careful referrals are required. Data source: The case is based on real data obtained through an electronic questionnaire sent to employees in June 2020. The name of the company was kept confidential. Although real speeches, characters, and their interaction are fictional. Applicability: It can be used as a teaching tool in modules related to Human Resource Management, Organizational Behavior, and Team Development, present in postgraduate courses. Teaching notes establish educational objectives, recommended use of the case, lesson planning, and guiding questions for discussion in class. Keywords: teaching case; teamwork; virtual teams; organizational behavior; Covid-19

Voice as a Signal of Human and Social Capital in Team Assembly Decisions

Team membership in today’s open talent economy is more fluid and interchangeable than ever before. In light of these dynamics, we consider how team members’ signaling of human and social capital, in the form of challenging or supportive voice, informs our understanding of how individuals across an organizational network self-assemble into temporary work teams. We test our hypotheses in two separate multiwave studies and find support for our hypotheses above and beyond the effects of homophily. In Study 1, we find support for a human capital pathway in which challenging voice in a team fosters perceptions of quality work that enhance one’s personal reputation in the broader network. Personal reputation, in turn, predicts team assembly decisions. In Study 2, we consider a social capital pathway alongside the human capital pathway. We find that supportive voice in a team fosters friendship that enhances the extent to which one is trusted in the broader network, and trust subsequently influences team assembly decisions. Potential team members appear to prioritize the social capital signaled by supportive voice more so than the human capital signaled by challenging voice, although those who possess both human and social capital are also highly sought during team formation. We discuss the implications of these findings for the literatures on voice and team assembly.