TEAM ANALYSIS

Team Analysis

Abstract

Drawing on the path-goal theory of leadership, the present study examines the effect of team leader characteristics on an array of conflict resolution behaviour, collaboration, and communication patterns of cross-functional new product development (NPD) teams. A hierarchical linear model analysis based on a survey of the given members suggests that participative management style and initiation of goal structure by the team leader exert the strongest influence on internal team dynamics. Both these leadership characteristics had a positive effect on functional conflict resolution, collaboration, and communication quality within the team while discouraging dysfunctional conflict resolution and formal communications. Comparatively, team leader's consideration, initiation of process structure, and position had a surprisingly weak effect on internal team dynamics. Further, the findings underscore the differential effects on various dimensions of team dynamics, the importance of controlling for project and team characteristics, and the use of multilevel modelling for studying nested phenomena related to teams.

Table of Content

Abstract2

Introduction4

Discussion and Analysis5

Conclusion9

References10

Team Analysis

Introduction

Recognizing the long-term competitive advantage offered by successful new product development (NPD), organizations are relying heavily on cross-functional teams to improve their NPD processes. Typically these teams, composed of individuals drawn from a variety of functional specialties within the organization, are responsible for taking a product from conceptualization to commercialization (Zaccaro, 2001, 451).

Growing popularity and anecdotal evidence notwithstanding, the results achieved from the use of cross-functional teams in NPD efforts have been decidedly mixed. Among other reasons, this lack of consistent success has been attributed to poor project leadership, which often fails to appreciate the diversity of cross-functional teams and mismanages team dynamics—essential components to the performance of any NPD team.

Effective project leadership has been identified as one of the most important mechanisms not only for managing team dynamics but also for steering the teams successfully and efficiently through the new product development process Team leaders coach team members, help develop their capabilities, foster interactions and learning within the team, and champion the team's activities to others in the organization suggest that effective project team leaders are social architects who understand the interaction between organizational and behavioural variables; suggesting that such team leaders should be able to minimize dysfunctional conflict and to foster a climate of active participation.

Despite the focused attention from the academic community, much of the past research in the NPD literature is based largely on anecdotal data, or qualitative data. Although some studies have explored NPD team leadership empirically, these studies were limited in their scope by the univariate analyses employed.

Moreover, when empirical examinations were undertaken, few studies controlled for the characteristics of the team or the project, which could have profound effects on how team leadership affects the internal dynamics and performance of the NPD teams. The NPD literature lacks a comprehensive and robust empirical examination of the influence of team leadership on the dynamics and performance of cross-functional new product development teams. The present study addresses this void in the NPD literature by empirically examining the effect of team leaders' management styles and position on an ...