IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/ororsc/v16y2005i6p687-700.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

As the Twig Is Bent: How Group Values Shape Emergent Task Interdependence in Groups

Author

Listed:
  • Ruth Wageman

    (Amos Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College, 100 Tuck Hall, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755)

  • Frederick M. Gordon

    (Institute for Work Democracy, 125 Grasmere Street, Newton, Massachusetts 02458)

Abstract

This paper proposes that task interdependence in teams, usually treated solely as structurally driven, can arise from group members’ values at the time of group formation. Findings from a longitudinal field study show that teams whose members share egalitarian values at formation develop highly interdependent task approaches and exhibit patterns of social interaction similar to those associated with high structural interdependence. By contrast, groups whose members share meritocratic values at formation develop low-interdependence task approaches and exhibit patterns of social interaction similar to those associated with low structural interdependence. Groups with shared hybrid or with mixed values show no consistent task structures or group processes, and significantly underperform relative to both the egalitarian and the meritocratic groups. We discuss the implications of these findings for the effectiveness of task-performing teams in organizations.

Suggested Citation

  • Ruth Wageman & Frederick M. Gordon, 2005. "As the Twig Is Bent: How Group Values Shape Emergent Task Interdependence in Groups," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 16(6), pages 687-700, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:16:y:2005:i:6:p:687-700
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.1050.0146
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1050.0146
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/orsc.1050.0146?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Martha S. Feldman, 2003. "A performative perspective on stability and change in organizational routines," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 12(4), pages 727-752, August.
    2. Leslie A. Perlow & Jody Hoffer Gittell & Nancy Katz, 2004. "Contextualizing Patterns of Work Group Interaction: Toward a Nested Theory of Structuration," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 15(5), pages 520-536, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Li Zhao & Wei Li & Hongru Zhang, 2022. "Career Adaptability as a Strategy to Improve Sustainable Employment: A Proactive Personality Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-20, October.
    2. Rieger, Verena & Klarmann, Martin, 2022. "The effect of cooperative team culture on innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 1256-1271.
    3. David M. Sluss & Blake E. Ashforth, 2008. "How Relational and Organizational Identification Converge: Processes and Conditions," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 19(6), pages 807-823, December.
    4. Benjamin Heslop & Kylie Bailey & Jonathan Paul & Elizabeth Stojanovski, 2018. "The PILAR Model as a Measure of Peer Ratings of Collaboration Viability in Small Groups," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-14, March.
    5. J. Daniel Sherman & Robert T. Keller, 2011. "Suboptimal Assessment of Interunit Task Interdependence: Modes of Integration and Information Processing for Coordination Performance," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(1), pages 245-261, February.
    6. Bindewald, Eckart, 2017. "A survey suggests individual priorities are virtually unique: Implications for group dynamics, goal achievement and ecology," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 362(C), pages 69-79.
    7. Sendil K. Ethiraj & Pranav Garg, 2012. "The Division of Gains from Complementarities in Human-Capital-Intensive Activity," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(3), pages 725-742, June.
    8. María del Carmen Triana & Kwanghyun Kim & Seo‐Young Byun & Dora María Delgado & Winfred Arthur, 2021. "The Relationship Between Team Deep‐Level Diversity and Team Performance: A Meta‐Analysis of the Main Effect, Moderators, and Mediating Mechanisms," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(8), pages 2137-2179, December.
    9. Zhen Chen & Zixin Tang, 2024. "The effect of caring ethical climate on employees’ knowledge-hiding behavior: evidence from Chinese construction firms," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    10. Michael Boyer O'Leary & Mark Mortensen, 2010. "Go (Con)figure: Subgroups, Imbalance, and Isolates in Geographically Dispersed Teams," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 21(1), pages 115-131, February.
    11. Gebauer, Judith & Shaw, Michael J. & Gribbins, Michele L., 2006. "Task-Technology Fit for Mobile Information Systems," Working Papers 06-0107, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business.
    12. K. E. M. De Stobbeleir & S. J. Ashford & D. Buyens, 2008. "The Feedback-Seeker in his Social Labyrinth: The mediating role of goals and cooperative norms in linking empowering leadership to feedback-seeking behavior," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 08/534, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Giada Baldessarelli & Nathalie Lazaric & Michele Pezzoni, 2022. "Organizational routines: Evolution in the research landscape of two core communities," Post-Print halshs-03718851, HAL.
    2. Gilstrap, J. Bruce & Hart, Timothy A., 2020. "How employee behaviors effect organizational change and stability," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 120-131.
    3. Lars Lindkvist & Marie Bengtsson & Dan-Magnus Svensson & Linnéa Wahlstedt, 2017. "Replacing old routines: how Ericsson software developers and managers learned to become agile," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 26(4), pages 571-591.
    4. Johnston, Wesley J. & Peters, Linda D. & Gassenheimer, Jule, 2006. "Questions about network dynamics: Characteristics, structures, and interactions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 59(8), pages 945-954, August.
    5. Guha, Mahua & Das, Gopal, 2017. "Routine contraction in good times: An example of a typical prototype development routine," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 145-152.
    6. D'Adderio, Luciana, 2008. "The performativity of routines: Theorising the influence of artefacts and distributed agencies on routines dynamics," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 769-789, June.
    7. Bénédicte Reynaud, 2005. "The void at the heart of rules: Routines in the context of rule-following," PSE Working Papers halshs-00590855, HAL.
    8. Cindy Zawadzki, 2011. "L'évolution du fonctionnement de la PME lors de l'introduction du contrôle de gestion : leçons d'un échec," Post-Print hal-00650594, HAL.
    9. Franck Aggeri & Julie Labatut, 2010. "La gestion au prisme de ses instruments. Une analyse généalogique des approches théoriques fondées sur les instruments de gestion," Revue Finance Contrôle Stratégie, revues.org, vol. 13(3), pages 5-37., September.
    10. Stefan W. Konlechner & Barbara Müller & Wolfgang H. Güttel & Irina Koprax & Karin Link, 2016. "Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing: The Role of Artifacts in Interpretive Schema Change," Schmalenbach Business Review, Springer;Schmalenbach-Gesellschaft, vol. 17(2), pages 129-150, August.
    11. Luciana D’Adderio, 2014. "The Replication Dilemma Unravelled: How Organizations Enact Multiple Goals in Routine Transfer," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 25(5), pages 1325-1350, October.
    12. Guido Cozzi & Paolo Giordani, 2011. "Ambiguity attitude, R&D investments and economic growth," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 303-319, May.
    13. Leslie A. Perlow & Jody Hoffer Gittell & Nancy Katz, 2004. "Contextualizing Patterns of Work Group Interaction: Toward a Nested Theory of Structuration," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 15(5), pages 520-536, October.
    14. Franck Aggeri & Julie Labatut, 2011. "Looking at management through its instruments," Post-Print hal-00639734, HAL.
    15. Scott Sonenshein, 2016. "Routines and Creativity: From Dualism to Duality," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(3), pages 739-758, June.
    16. Catherine Durnell Cramton & Pamela J. Hinds, 2014. "An Embedded Model of Cultural Adaptation in Global Teams," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 25(4), pages 1056-1081, August.
    17. Scott F. Turner & Violina Rindova, 2012. "A Balancing Act: How Organizations Pursue Consistency in Routine Functioning in the Face of Ongoing Change," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(1), pages 24-46, February.
    18. Martha S. Feldman & Brian T. Pentland & Luciana D’Adderio & Nathalie Lazaric, 2016. "Beyond Routines as Things: Introduction to the Special Issue on Routine Dynamics," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(3), pages 505-513, June.
    19. Stephanie Bertels & Jennifer Howard-Grenville & Simon Pek, 2016. "Cultural Molding, Shielding, and Shoring at Oilco: The Role of Culture in the Integration of Routines," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(3), pages 573-593, June.
    20. McLaren, Josie & Appleyard, Tony & Mitchell, Falconer, 2016. "The rise and fall of management accounting systems: A case study investigation of EVA™," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(3), pages 341-358.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:16:y:2005:i:6:p:687-700. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.