One of the major reasons intraorganizational communication linkages are formed is to find the information needed to reduce perceived task uncertainty. This study examines the moderating influence of managers'cognitive style on the relationship between perceived task uncertainty and the formation of intraorganizational linkages. In addition, the direction of the intraorganizational link used (i.e., vertical, horizontal, or diagonal) is examined. eber (1945) viewed bureaucracies as a special type of organization Woriented toward the pursuit of relatively stable and specific goals and characterized by relatively high degrees of formal role definitions and written rules. The sanctioned communication channels or links within this structure were in accordance with the traditional and very formal vertical chain of command. This type of organizational structure offered little encouragement or acknowledgement of the need for horizontal or diagonal interaction among organizational members.
This study examines the concept of intra-organizational links as a way for boundary spanners to bring into the project group the information needed to deal with task uncertainty. Several studies have shown that heterogeneous groups are superior to homogeneous groups when novel or creative solutions need to be developed to deal with tasks characterized by high task uncertainty. For boundary spanners in engineering project groups, it is proposed that cross-departmental technical advice links are another source of the information needed to deal with task uncertainty. An empirical test supports the proposition that for high-performing project groups, boundary-spanning technical advice links may compensate for a lack of internal group heterogeneity and vice versa. This is not the case for low-performing project groups. Implications of these finding are presented, including the direction that the open innovation research stream might take to address the findings of this study.
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