The balance between collaborative stability and performance in scientific funding project teams: the role of leader power

Scientific teams emphasize integrating and generating new knowledge, and team members’ constant addition and attrition reflect the dynamic development of team knowledge. However, excessive instability may bring risks and challenges to team development. This study investigates how collaboration dynamics affect team performance in projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). Initially, various indicators were developed to measure project team collaborative stability, performance, and leader power. Then, a hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to examine the correlation between team collaborative stability and performance, as well as both the direct and moderating effects of team leader power. Results indicate inverted U-shaped relationships between team collaborative stability and performance metrics, peaking at a stability level of approximately 0.3. Findings also suggest leader power can moderate the relationship between collaborative stability and team performance by making the inverted U-shaped relationship curve steeper while shifting its turning point to the left. These findings provide valuable insights and practical guidance for project leaders to effectively manage team collaboration and enhance team performance.