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The effects of team strategic orientation on team process and information search

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  • Woolley, Anita Williams
  • Bear, Julia B.
  • Chang, Jin Wook
  • DeCostanza, Arwen Hunter

Abstract

We tested the effects of team strategic orientation on team member perceptions, work strategy and information search. In Experiment 1, 80 teams worked on a hidden profile decision-making task. A defensive team strategic orientation increased members’ perceptions of the problem’s scope, leading to a more process-focused work strategy and broader information search compared to an offensive team strategic orientation. When teams needed critical information from the environment, defensive teams outperformed offensive teams; offensive teams performed better when critical information resided within the team. In Experiment 2, these findings were replicated with 92 teams performing a different decision task. When making a second decision, half of the teams were led to change their strategic orientation; teams shifting from offense to defense altered their information search behavior more readily than did teams shifting in the opposite direction, suggesting an asymmetric adaptation effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Woolley, Anita Williams & Bear, Julia B. & Chang, Jin Wook & DeCostanza, Arwen Hunter, 2013. "The effects of team strategic orientation on team process and information search," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 122(2), pages 114-126.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:122:y:2013:i:2:p:114-126
    DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2013.06.002
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