The role of group values in the relationship between group faultlines and performance

This study explores the moderating effects of group values on the relationship between group faultlines and performance. Faultlines occur when group members align along two or more different demographic characteristics causing a group to split into homogeneous subgroups (adapted from Lau and Murnighan, 1998). We theorize and empirically examine three group values variables: career-, change-, and task-specificity. Analyses are performed on 81 work groups from a Fortune 500 information processing firm. Two levels of performance are considered in connection with group faultlines: individual performance (performance ratings) and group performance (bonuses and stock options). Our results provide support for our model of group values, faultiness and performance

Conflict, learning, and frustration: a dynamic model of conflict over time

A continuing question in the study of conflict and conflict management is, When is conflict helpful, and when is it harmful? Though many have offered explanations for this (Jehn, Northcraft, & Neale, 1999), data in support of these notions have been less forthcoming, especially in relation to the helpfulness of conflict (De Dreu & Weingart, 2003). In this paper we 2 present a dynamic model of conflict that we hope will both explain and clarify the confusion by conceptualizing conflict as simultaneously containing helpful (learning related) and harmful (negative sentiment related) components. We argue how both learning and negative emotion can inhibit or promote future conflict, constituting feedback loops. We then examine what this implies for conflict over time in terms of the efficacy of collaboration between parties who experience conflict

Faultlines, faults, and feelings: the effects of subgroup formation and appraisals on emotions in groups

This study examines the relationships between group faultlines, appraisals (evaluations) of group members, emotional responses, and performance in groups. The study uses a 2 by 2 experimental design, crossing demographic alignment (alignment vs. no alignment) and appraisals (instrumental vs. intrinsic) as between-subjects variables. Data from 5 types of measurement were used to analyze the effects of member alignment and appraisals

Towards an understanding of the endogenous nature of group identification in games

It is commonly assumed that identification with a social group is constant throughout the play of a one-shot game in the absence of feedback. We provide evidence which challenges this assumption. We direct subjects to play one of two versions of the prisoner's dilemma game. These versions are distinguished by the relative attractiveness of the uncooperative action. We refer to the version with a relatively attractive uncooperative action as the Easy Game and the other as the Difficult Game. We find that for the subjects who play the Difficult Game, their change in group identification is significantly related to their action selected. No such relationship exists within the Easy Game. Additionally, we find that the change primarily occurs after the action is selected rather than upon inspection of the game. We discuss the implications of our findings to settings both inside and outside of the laboratory

Towards an understanding of the endogenous nature of group identification in games

It is commonly assumed that identification with a social group is constant throughout the play of a one-shot game in the absence of feedback. We provide evidence which challenges this assumption. We direct subjects to play one of two versions of the prisoner's dilemma game. These versions are distinguished by the relative attractiveness of the uncooperative action. We refer to the version with a relatively attractive uncooperative action as the Easy Game and the other as the Difficult Game. We find that for the subjects who play the Difficult Game, their change in group identification is significantly related to their action selected. No such relationship exists within the Easy Game. Additionally, we find that the change primarily occurs after the action is selected rather than upon inspection of the game. We discuss the implications of our findings to settings both inside and outside of the laboratory

Do faultlines hurt or help? exploring distance, identity, task conflict, and individual performance in diverse groups

We introduce the concept of faultline distance that reflects the extent to which subgroups formed by faultlines diverge as a result of accumulated differences across them (e.g., two members of age 20 are closer in age to two members of an opposing faultline of age 25 than of two members of age 50). We further extend faultline theory by showing how different faultline bases (information-based and social category faultlines) have differential effects on outcomes. Using a sample of 76 workgroups from a Fortune 500 information processing company, we examine the relationships between group faultlines, shared identity, work-related conflict, and multiple individual performance indicators. The results reveal that members of groups with strong information-based faultlines had high levels of performance ratings, while members of groups with strong social category faultlines had low levels of bonuses. Faultline distance further exacerbated the negative effects in groups with strong social category faultlines and reversed the positive effects in groups with information-based faultlines. A sense of strong superordinate identity among group members enhanced members\u27 performance. Finally, mediated moderation was confirmed for the groups with strong social category faultlines; such groups had low levels of conflict which then resulted in low levels of bonuses

Agree or not agree? The role of cognitive and affective processes in group disagreements

We develop and test a theoretical framework for understanding how cognitive and affective processes (cognitive and affective integration) influence the way in which disagreements (task and process) among group members affect their performance (individual and group level performance). We use this framework to explain how and why diversity may be either beneficial or detrimental to group process and outcomes. Specifically, we examine how group faultlines may hinder members\u27 ability to create a shared understanding of the problem (cognitive integration) and a shared motivation to synthesize their knowledge (affective integration). If this happens, then groups will fail to share and process information, which will hinder group performance and satisfaction. We test this theory on 321MBA students in 88 five to six person teams from a prestigious East Coast university

Visualization of Cluster Structure and Separation in Multivariate Mixed Data: A Case Study of Diversity Faultlines in Work Teams

In organizational management, researchers and managers study separations or faultlines that occur in diverse teams when members form subgroups based on the alignment of multiple demographic characteristics. The team faultline concept is operationalized using multivariate cluster analysis—analysts use faultline measures to identify subgroups/clusters in a team and to quantify how subgroups/clusters are separated. Unfortunately, these measures have limited capacity to enable users to observe and explore faultlines and subgroup structure across the examined attributes efficiently. We address this problem and make three contributions. First, we propose a visual representation for communicating faultline information that is based on multiple linked, stacked histograms in an axis-parallel layout. Second, we evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed technique in a controlled user study, comparing it to the two other common multivariate representations of clusters: parallel coordinates and scatter plot matrices. While we chose faultline-related tasks based on the requirements by domain experts in organizational management, the study findings can be generalized to representations and tasks involving distributions of clusters of multivariate objects in mixed-type data. Finally, inspired by geological faultlines, we propose several visual enhancements to stacked histograms to further facilitate the task of identifying “cracks” within work teams.Keywords: evaluation, faultlines, clustering, cluster separation, stacked histograms, user study, functional diversit

Towards an understanding of the endogenous nature of identity in games

We test the assumption that preferences are unchanged throughout a strategic game in the absence of feedback. To do so, we study the relationship between the strategic nature of a game and players' identification in social groups. We present evidence that the strategic nature of the game affects the strength of identity. We also present evidence regarding the timing of the change in identity and what causes this change. In our experiment, the subjects play one of two versions of the Prisoner's Dilemma game where the attractiveness of the uncooperative action is manipulated. We refer to the version with a relatively attractive uncooperative action as the "Mean Game" and the other as the "Nice Game." We place each subject into one of two groups. Throughout the experimental procedure we measure identity, as standard in the psychology literature, in order to assess the extent to which subjects identify with their group. First, we find evidence of an interaction between the strategic nature of the game and the action selected in the game as affecting the identity of the subject. We find that in the Mean Game, there is little difference in the change in identification of those playing cooperatively against an ingroup member and those playing uncooperatively. However, in the Nice Game, those playing cooperatively against an ingroup member exhibit a significantly stronger change in identification than those playing uncooperatively. We find that the opposite is true for outgroup matches. Also, we show that the change in identity does not occur after initial inspection of the game but rather largely after the action choice has been made. Finally, we present evidence of an explanation of the effect: identity is enhanced by actions which are perceived to be less competitive and more cooperative.Group Identity; Game Theory; Other-Regarding Preferences, Endogenous Preferences