The Effect of Diversity towards Team Conflict and How Emotional Intelligence Role as Moderating Variable in Improving Team Performance: A Theoretical Study

This article is a literature review that discusses the effect of diversity on the occurrence of team conflict and how emotion al intelligence role as a moderating variable to improve team performance. Diversity may trigger relationship conflicts within the team that affect their performance. However, not all diversity has a negative impact if the organization concerned can create a cohesiv e team. Team members with higher levels of expertise on the team should be given more influence over team processes and outcomes. Organizational support and openness have different effects on the relationship of diversity to the occurrence of conflict within the organiz ation. The emotional intelligence of team members was found to play an important role in reducing the negative effects that might be trigg ered by diversity. Emotionally intelligent team members are generally more capable of dealing with differences. Thus, they are more aware of the creative potential of their different thoughts, values, and beliefs. In conclusion, one of the efforts to improve team performance is to reduce or prevent conflicts within the team through emotional intelligence.

Unpacking the Role of Feedback in Virtual Team Effectiveness

Feedback is a cornerstone of human development. Not surprisingly, it plays a vital role in team development. However, the literature examining the specific role of feedback in virtual team effectiveness remains scattered. To improve our understanding of feedback in virtual teams, we identified 59 studies that examine how different feedback characteristics (content, source, and level) impact virtual team effectiveness. Our findings suggest that virtual teams benefit particularly from feedback that (a) combines performance-related information with information on team processes and/or psychological states, (b) stems from an objective source, and (c) targets the team as a whole. By integrating the existing knowledge, we point researchers in the direction of the most pressing research needs, as well as the practices that are most likely to pay off when designing feedback interventions in virtual teams.

An Investigation of Team Inputs, Processes, And Emergent States on Performance in a Spaceship Bridge Simulation

This investigation serves to provide evidence on the effects of various input variables on intact teams through repeated team performance sessions in a team spaceship bridge simulation (i.e. Artemis). The Input Mediator/Moderator Output Input (IMOI) model provides a systems engineering an approach to understand various team and individual input variables contribution to the development of team processes and emergent states, ultimately leading to a team’s ability to perform together. While various prior research initiatives have served to contribute to the pool of evidence of which input variables are most highly predictive of a team’s overall performance, the need for further and recursive input to output investigations is needed. Our results indicate perceived team effectiveness and cohesion are significant predictors in team performance and that skill and knowledge of a simulated environment may overshadow team-specific effectiveness indicators as the team gains experience.

We are in the “breakout room.” Now what? An e-portfolio study of virtual team processes involving undergraduate online learners

The COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in unprecedented campus closures and social distancing, has reinforced the value of learning using a virtual teamwork format. While a large body of research focuses on the inputs (members’ skills, motivation, technology, and virtuality) and outcomes (satisfaction, performance, and learning) of virtual teamwork, to date, only a limited number of studies have explored virtual teamwork processes involving university students. By drawing on the team processes model ( Marks et al., 2001 ), in this qualitative study, we extend the scope of virtual team processes to a university online course. In addition, we explore transition, action, and interpersonal processes that undergraduate students experience when learning in virtual teams. The study participants included Japanese and international students ( N = 20) from three universities in Japan taking a synchronous online course in international organizations during the summer of 2020; 15 combinations of virtual teams were created. The study is based on the inductive content analysis of e-portfolios created and managed by students taking the online course. The findings show that virtual teams are multitasking entities that transition through multiple processes simultaneously and consequentially to achieve team goals. From the analyzed e-portfolios, it can be observed that across all themes, systems monitoring (action processes), affect management (interpersonal processes), and strategy formulation and planning (transition processes) have been crucial in invigorating virtual teams toward task accomplishment. Finally, the study discusses both theoretical and practical implications.

Fantastic teams and where to find them: understanding team processes in space and analog environments through the IMOI framework

Purpose This paper aims to propose a model of teamwork effectiveness in space and analog environments (SAE). Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review was conducted to examine the state-of-the-art of teamwork literature in SAE. A total of 37 research papers were reviewed and the results were organized according to the input-mediator-output-input (IMOI) framework. Findings Based on 37 empirical research papers, the findings suggest that the teams working in SAE are challenged with contextual (e.g. time, isolation and confinement), collective (e.g. autonomy, culture) and individual (e.g. personality) attributes. These are inputs to team processes (e.g. interpersonal processes; communication) and emergent states (e.g. climate; emotions), which mediate team (e.g. performance; cohesion) and individual (e.g. psychological well-being) outputs. Research limitations/implications Given the review nature of the manuscript, the final proposed model depicting empirical findings lacks validation evidence when considered in its entirety, although pieces have been validated. Additionally, the focus only on papers that included team-level empirical SAE research (excluding individual-level studies), undoubtedly contributed to a smaller number of papers extracted. Originality/value This paper integrates empirical findings regarding the factors impacting team performance in SAE into a proven framework (IMOI). This integration can provide a common baseline, using a widely accepted methodology and framework, that serves to guide future research, identify gaps and guide practice.