The relationship between R&D team diversity and team creativity
Purpose: This study aims to explore how and what type of team diversity is related to team creativity in R&D organizations, incorporating conflict as a mediator and transformational leadership as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach: Survey questionnaires were used to collect data from 24 Korean R&D teams (185 team members, 24 team leaders and 24 managers) in the public and private sectors. The dependent variable, team creativity, was measured by questioning R&D team managers to whom R&D team leaders report directly, and the antecedents, mediator and moderator were answered by team members and their leaders. Findings: The data confirmed that team diversity, particularly informational diversity, was positively associated with team creativity. However, conflict did not show a significant mediating effect between team diversity and creativity. Transformational leadership had a negative moderating effect between informational diversity and task conflict in such a way that when transformational leadership was high, teams with higher informational diversity showed lower task conflict between team members. Originality/value: A growing number of R&D projects require interdisciplinary efforts resulting in incorporating scientists and engineers from multiple disciplines, and growing numbers of women and minorities now choose careers in science and technology. Naturally, R&D project teams have become more diverse than before. This study provides empirical evidence from multiple sources, showing both mediating and moderating effects on the relationship between R&D team diversity and creativity.
Year of publication: |
2020
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Authors: | Kim, Jinyong ; Song, Chanhoo |
Published in: |
Management Decision. - Emerald, ISSN 0025-1747, ZDB-ID 2023018-7. - Vol. 59.2020, 2 (14.05.), p. 175-189
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Publisher: |
Emerald |
Saved in:
Online Resource
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