Research On Influence Of Team Communicaion On Sales Team Performance From Shared Mental Models

Increased technology has contributed to the complexity of many tasks performed in the workplace, making it difficult for employees to complete their work independently.(Mathieu et al.,2000). In order to cope with the technological advances, teams were adopted by a growing number of organizations, so, teams began more prevalent in organizations (Lim&Klein,2006).Organizational research has showed that teams are the cornerstone of American modern industy (Cummings,1981; Hackman&Morris,1975; Sundstrom, DeMeuse&Futrell,1990). The conclusion has been confirmed in military and public service. Strategic decisions were often made by teams instead of individuals acting alone (Axelrod,1976; Orasanu&Salas,1993). Many theorists and practitioners are starting to conduct research on team performance (Brannick, Salas&Prince,1997). Members are interdependent in the team, rather than a single one, they need to communicate frequently in order to get a high performance (J.S.C Hsu et al.,2011). Some argued that shared mental models can explain how team communication can affect team performance (Orasannu,1990; Rouse, Cannon-Bowers&Salas,1992). The better communication between members, the more conducive to the formation of shared mental models, and shared mental models can help the team to operate effectively and receive a good performance (Xin Wu&Zhiming Wu,2005). The frequency of communication is not only positively related to job satisfaction (Churchill, Ford&Walker,1976), but also to performance (Johlke et al.,2000). Members can complete tasks more effectively in better communication quality teams (Lawler,1986). Besides, the quality of communication is related to work safety and organization commitment (Parker, Axtell&Turner,2001). Especially, since the beginning the21st century, some scholars have argued that the frequency and the quality of communication should be the focus, because they affect members’attitude with each other (Homan et al.,2007; McKay et al.,2009). So, we will examine the effect of team communication on team performance.286salesmen were investigated. According to the mature scale, we have designed questionnaire for leaders and members, respectively. In order to investigate the relationship among team communication, shared mental models and team performance, we conducted our research with exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and regression analysis. Our results indicated:(1) communication frequency and communication quality are predictive of shared mental models.(2) team communication was found to positively affect team performance;(3) shared mental models have a positive impact on team performance;(4) team interaction mental modes mediate relationship between communication frequency and team performance, and between communication quality and team performance as well.There are seven parts in the paper. We elaborated the background and significance in chapter1. The literature review was in chapter2. In this chapter, we expounded the definitions, classifications, affected factors and influences of shared mental models, team communication and team performance. Second, we elaborated the relationship between team communication, shared mental models and team performance. Then, the hypotheses were proposed. The method is elaborated in chapter3. In this chapter, we presented the goals and theory models of the research first. Then, we conducted pretest. In chapter4is about data. The analysis is in chapter5. Existing researches are mainly based on atmosphere (Jianzhong Wang,2001; Lei Ni,2010), model (Jingsong Deng,2005), content (Yongli Wang et al.,2009), strategy (Roar Espevik, Bj(?)rn Helge Johnsen&Jarle Eid,2011), degree (Taisheng Meng,2009) and openness (Shuxiang Li et al.,2012; Longzeng Wu et al.,2013) of communication, there was few research combined communication frequency and communication quality. So, in this chapter, we explore the mechanism of team communication on team performance from communication frequency and communication quality perspective.The third, we offer some practical suggestions for sales team. Directors or managers can offer members the chance of communication by daily meetings. Besides, managers should encourage face to face communication first, then telephone communication, e-mail communication is the last (Deanna M.Kennedy, Sala A.McComb&RalitzaR.Vozdolska,2011). Though both communication frequency and communication quality can predictive performance, quality has a greater influence, so, communication quality should be the focus, for it has a stronger power to performance than quality (Marks, Zaccaro&Mathieu,2000). In order to increase the quality of communication, some cultural leaning activities can be held in teams now and again (Hsin Hsin Chang, Shuang-Shii Chuang&Shu Han Chao,2011).