Leadership team cohesiveness and team performance
Abstract
Purpose – To examine leadership style (transactional versus transformational), knowledge level, and
team cohesiveness as antecedents of team performance.
Design/methodology/approach – The study was conducted among students studying for an
MBA. The 252 participant students were involved in a computerized business simulation course which
required forming teams of about six members. Each team represented the management of one firm
that competed with the other groups.
Findings – Transformational leadership was associated with a higher level of team cohesiveness, as
compared to transactional leadership. Both knowledge level and team cohesiveness predict team
performance, particularly among men.
Research limitations/implications – The student sample may not necessarily represent
responses from workers in an actual organization. From a measurement perspective, the reliability
of the one item scale of leadership could not be ascertained.
Practical implications – For improving team performance, a manager should enhance team
knowledge and encourage greater team cohesiveness.
Originality/value – Using a simulated research design, leadership style, an antecedent associated
with individual performance, was also found to be related to team performance.
Keywords Leadership, Team performance, Transational leadership, Transformational leadership,
Gender
Paper type Research paperThe Essay is provided by UK Assignment http://www.szdhsjt.com
Introduction
As with individual performance, group performance is a vital determinant and
frequently used indicator of organizational outcome. DeNisi (2000) argues that there is
a belief among managers and the public that improving performance will assist
organizations in their pursuit of excellence. Probably, the major emphasis of
performance research has been on identifying antecedents and how they relate or lead
to desired outcome measures (Viswesvaran and Ones, 2000). Similarly, for teams,
researchers have asked what goes on when a team gets together in an organizational
framework and which of these variables can predict or enhance performance (Cooke
et al., 2003). Using measures of team performance as the criteria, the present study
examines the interactive effects of three such variables, leadership, which has
traditionally been studied in the context of individual performance, knowledge level
and team cohesiveness. In addition, gender, which has been found to be an antecedent,
as well as a moderator of performance, will be included in the prediction model.
Over the past decade or so, organizations have begun to use teams to a much greater |
