Evidence of Structure-Specific Teamwork Requirements and Implications for Team Design

Abstract

This article reports an experiment using the C 3 Fire microworld-a functional simulation of command and control in a complex and dynamic environment-in which 24 three-person teams were organized according to either a functional or multifunctional allocation of roles. We proposed a quantitative approach for estimating teamwork requirements and comparing them across team structures. Two multiple linear regression models were derived from the experimental data, one for each team structure. Both models provided excellent fits to the data. The regression coefficients revealed key similarities and some major differences across team structures. The two most important predictors were monitoring effectiveness and coordination effectiveness regardless of team structure. Communication frequency was a positive predictor of performance in the functional structure but a negative predictor in the multifunctional structure. In regard to communication Downloaded from 508 Small Group Research 42 (5) content, the proportion of goal-oriented communications was found to be a positive predictor of team performance in functional teams and a weak negative predictor of team performance in multifunctional teams. Mental load was a useful predictor in functional teams but not in multifunctional teams. Results show that this method is useful for estimating teamwork requirements and support the claim that teamwork requirements can vary as a function of team structure.

Why should we collaborate? Exploring partners’ interactions in the psychosocial spaces of an inter-organisational collaboration

“…Finally, the study contributes particularly to the studies that explore the idea of collaborative and independent action in IOCs. Collaborative and independent action in IOCs has been explored to some extent before with research indicating that individual efforts may complement collaborative work (Lafond et al, 2011;Bruns, 2013). The present study does not only validate these studies but, by introducing the concept of the psychological space, it also contributes to this literature an innovative approach to explore the interplay between collaborative and independent action in IOCs.…”

“…Research has shown that, even when partners face, for example, cultural incompatibilities (Kanter, 1994); competitive, opportunistic and individualistic spirits and excessive control by other partners (Huxham and Vangen, 2005;Vangen and Huxham, 2003); negative attitudes and opposition to change (Olson et al, 2012); external pressures (Huxham, 1996); different protocols and structures (Bouwen and Taillieu, 2004); or sector differences which relate to different values, norms and ways of understanding the world (Koschmann, 2016;Olson et al, 2012), they can still be part of an effective collaboration. A smaller part of the IOC research has also illustrated that some tasks require less collaborative efforts than others (Lafond et al, 2011) while individual efforts complement collaborative work (Bruns, 2013) and assist partners in achieving the collaboration aims (Jassawalla and Sashital, 1998). It therefore suggests that partners may act both collaboratively and independently in order to fulfil collaborative goals.…”

Effects of Information Availability on Command-and-Control Decision Making

“…Simulated C2 environments or microworlds are a useful way of exploring decision-making processes in these more complex domains while still maintaining the benefits of experimental control and have been used successfully to study many aspects of C2 decision making for individuals (e.g., Hall, Shattuck, & Bennett, 2012;Rovira, McGarry, & Parasuraman, 2007) and teams (e.g., Lafond, Jobidon, Aubé, & Tremblay, 2011;Serfaty et al, 1998). Here, we focus on simulation to specifically investigate how information volume and reliability affect objective decision making in individuals and teams in a military C2 context of locating high-value targets (HVTs).…”

Dealing With Task Interruptions in Complex Dynamic Environments

“…Team effectiveness also depends on team structure, that is, the organization of the roles, tasks, and resources for dealing with a situation (see Lafond, Jobidon, Aubé, & Tremblay, 2011). Different team configurations may impose various team requirements and affect individual workload.…”