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Research On Knowledge Team Reflexivity

Posted on:2010-09-14Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:W Q ZhangFull Text:PDF
GTID:1119360275954713Subject:Business management
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Effective teams are important cornerstones of successful organizations, especially for those operating in dynamic environments. As such, the large literature on factors explaining team effects on performance has generated significant understanding. However, an important assumption in most team studies is that teams and team properties are static, thus ignoring the possibility that at various stages of their existence, teams can have different characteristics. However, the reality for most teams involved in innovative projects is that they are facing a constantly changing environment, both internally and externally. Teams in innovative projects constantly face uncertainty (lack of knowledge about future events and consequences of specific actions) and equivocality (deeper level of ambiguity and confusion regarding what needs to get done). However, in order to cope successfully with such environmental contingencies, it is important for teams to constantly monitor their environment and react appropriately. One key aspect of the ability of teams to monitor and react to their environment is reflexivity. Team reflexivity is based on the notion that a team's environment is ever changing and that there is a need for constant reflection and contemplation to assess the most current environment in order to apply the best action. Team reflexivity—the extent to which teams reflect upon and modify their functioning—has been identified as a possible important determinant of team effectiveness. When members collectively reflect on the way they work and the environment they work in, plan to adapt these aspects and make changes accordingly, teams will be more effective.The theory of Team Reflexivity gave a new perspective for knowledge team performance and knowledge worker behavior. After looking up key papers from the cited references, we confirmed four theoretical issues unresolved: (1) what were the connotation and constructs of Knowledge Team reflexivity (KTR) in the context of Chinese firms? (2) What were the antecedents of KTR, and how to build KTR? (3) How did KTR influence team effectiveness and team efficiency in the knowledge economy? (4) How did KTR influence knowledge workers'behaviors in the knowledge team? Four studies were conducted to answer these questions.Study 1 explored the construct of team reflexivity in Chinese context. After looking up key papers, Team reflexivity is defined as"the extent to which group members overtly reflect upon, and communicate about the group's objectives, strategies and processes, and adapt them to current or anticipated circumstances", and then we conducted interviews and survey to obtain items for the Team Reflexivity Scale (TRS). And then, empirical and statistical methods were employed to assess the structure and psychometric properties of the TRS. The scale was tested with two different samples form high technology companies in China. The exploratory factor analysis on the first sample with 148 staff showed that Team reflexivity contains three dimensions. The three dimension constructs were confirmed by using a confirmatory factor analysis on the confirmation sample with 352 staff. In both samples, three factors of reflexivity were identified. They were labeled task reflection, process reflection and action adaptation. And then, the two-level structure of TRS was assessed by means of multi-level confirmatory factor analysis (MCFA) on all samples(100 teams with 500 staff), indicating that the three dimension constructs of team reflexivity can be used both at individual and team level. Statistics from individual and team level showed good psychometric properties for the scale in both studies. We conclude that the scale forms a valid instrument to assess team reflexivity in Chinese firms.Study 2 analyzed the antecedents of KTR in the context of Chinese firms. Before the study, the researcher had put forwarded several critical variables which worked on KTR and had supposed their effects on KTR. These variables include team task characteristics, team members'characteristics, team leader roles, and psychological safety climate. Subsequently, we applied stepwise linear regression and structural equation model to validate the effect of antecedents on team reflexivity. With regards to our investigation of possible antecedents of KTR, some factors were positively related to team reflexivity. Especially, the study showed that team learning orientation, leader role as facilitator, and psychological safety climate were the key trigger factors of KTR. Moreover, the study showed there were moderating effects between the trigger factors and KTR by team task characteristics.Study 3 analyzed the performance mechanism of KTR on team level in two aspects, adopting questionnaire studying method, sampling on team level, and depending on structural equation modeling techniques. (1) The effects on team effectiveness and team efficiency made by team task characteristics and KTR. Empirical results show that the dimensions of team reflexivity have positive impact on team effectiveness, and action adaptation has positive impact on team efficiency. And it was found that task reflection, process reflection and action adaptation had influences on team effectiveness and team efficiency in various task environments. (2) It enabled to open up the black box between team input factors and team performance through testing the mediation effects of KTR. The effects on team performance made by team input factors were mainly through its effect on KTR. Especially, the effects on team performance made by team leader role as facilitator and psychological safety were fully through its effect on KTR. Study 4 analyzed the knowledge workers'behavior mechanism of KTR on cross level adopting questionnaire studying method, sampling on individual and team level, and depending on hierarchical linear modeling techniques. Based on the preliminary conclusions derived from the research of the theory of Goal Orientation, we proposed a theoretical model in which the KTR was included to examine the relationship between the goal orientation and knowledge workers'behaviors. At individual level, we examined the relationship between 3-factor individual goal orientation and knowledge workers'behaviors. At cross level, we also examined whether KTR can affect knowledge workers'behaviors, then analyzed whether KTR has a moderate effect between individual goal orientation and knowledge workers'behaviors. Results of cross level analysis showed that (1) positive effect of KTR on knowledge workers'behaviors such as knowledge acquiring behavior, innovation behavior, and knowledge sharing behavior is significant; (2) To varying degrees, KTR had positive moderating effect between learning orientation and knowledge workers'behaviors; (3) To varying degrees, KTR had positive moderating effect between proving orientation and knowledge workers'behaviors; (4) To varying degrees, KTR had negative moderating effect between avoiding orientation and knowledge workers'behaviors.The main contributions of the dissertation include:(1) The validity and reliability of Team Reflexivity Scale(TRS) was firstly modified and examined in China. (2) Form the perspective of Team Reflexivity, this dissertation analyzed the performance mechanism of KTR on team level. (3) At the same time, this dissertation carried out team research involving both two models: the single-level model and cross-level model.Based on cross-level view, this paper put forward and validated the multi-dimensions construct of KTR in Chinese firm context, and analyzed the performance and behavior mechanism of KTR. As a result, these theoretical opinions enabled the companies to be aware of the way how to manage knowledge workers'behaviors, improve knowledge team performance, adapt to Internal and external changes in the environment, and thus gain and maintain the competitive advantage.
Keywords/Search Tags:Team Reflexivity, Knowledge Team, Team Performance, Knowledge Workers'Behaviors, Trigger Factors, Multi-level Effects
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