Building biotechnology teams: Personality does matter

Abstract

Our study describes a naturally occurring experiment exploring linkages between interdisciplinary team outcomes and personality dimensions, general mental ability, and communication type and frequency. This research took place within the context of an NSF-sponsored bioscience entrepreneurship program that engaged science, health science, law and business students working in cross-disciplinary project teams in the technology commercialization process. Our results are consistent with research findings from the management literature. Deep-level diversity seems to increase conflict in teams and is quite difficult to overcome even over time; thus, finding ways to structure teams to minimize this type of diversity from the outset is desirable.

Perceived learning outcomes in entrepreneurship education

“…This is also highlighted in terms of the networking perspective in learning entrepreneurship (Man, 2007), and supported by previous research according to which the skills and knowledge of entrepreneurs can be partly acquired via their social relationships (Down, 1999). In general, previous studies suggest that team‐based learning enhances student performance (Ravenscroft et al , 1999; Umble et al , 2008) even if some researchers advise caution, noting that dysfunctional teams (York et al , 2009), lack of communication within the team or lack of authenticity of the assignment (Innes, 2006) may cause the opposite effect. Our results, however, support the positive impact of using teams in entrepreneurship studies.…”

“…However, research on team‐based learning also suggests that diversity within the teams may result in conflict and dysfunction within the team, reducing team performance and satisfaction (York et al , 2009). Hence, having students working in groups may not automatically contribute to enhanced learning, which is dependent on the authenticity of presenting the problem and the quality of the dialogue within the team, for example (Innes, 2006).…”

The Structure and Measurement of Entrepreneurial Team’s Heterogeneity Dimension

“…8 Lei Si.,2008 [24] Divided into social heterogeneity, information heterogeneity, value heterogeneity, heterogeneity of cognitive style, and heterogeneity of functional background. [26] ; Huang Yufang et al,2010 [27] ; Niu Fang et al,2011 [28] Divided into task-related heterogeneity and relationship-related heterogeneity.…”

What makes a happy team? Data from 5 years’ entrepreneurship teaching suggests that working style is a major determinant of team contentment.

“…what made a happy team, rather than what made a entrepreneur, although I can address this second question as well (see Entrepreneurs and personality, below). It is clear that teams with members who have wildly different personality types 35 or extremely different cultural backgrounds 36 function badly. However such extremes are filtered out by the application process for a Cambridge University degree.…”