Key research themes
1. How does organizational and task context moderate the effectiveness of cross-functional teams?
This research area investigates under which organizational conditions and task structures cross-functional teams (CFTs) deliver superior performance versus when their functional diversity induces conflict and reduces effectiveness. Understanding these contextual moderators is critical because CFTs are frequently used with the expectation of enhanced innovation and problem-solving, yet empirical findings on their outcomes are mixed. Research emphasizes the role of organizational design, innovation unit structure, connectedness at firm-level, and the nature of tasks (execution vs. creative) in shaping whether functional diversity leads to conflict or collaboration and ultimately improves performance.
2. What team processes and dynamics facilitate knowledge integration and effective collaboration in cross-functional or global virtual teams?
This theme focuses on how team-level interaction processes—including communication, trust development, shared mental models, and collaboration engineering—enable diverse teams to integrate knowledge and perform effectively despite functional, cultural, or geographic differences. Cross-functional and virtual teams face disruption risks such as misaligned roles, low trust, and ineffective coordination. Research examines mechanisms that foster collective cognition and smooth information flow to convert diversity into innovation and high performance.
3. How do team diversity dimensions (functional, cultural) influence intra-team conflict and trust, and what are their implications for team performance?
This research area explores the dual-edged nature of diversity in teams, focusing on how different diversity attributes (functional, cultural, surface-level, deep-level) relate to types of conflict (task, relationship, role), the development of intra-team trust, and eventual performance outcomes. It highlights the mechanisms through which diversity can foster innovation versus cause social categorization and faultlines that reduce cooperation, emphasizing the moderating roles of trust and team processes in mitigating conflict and enabling team success.