Teams as Complex Adaptive Systems: Reviewing 17 Years of Research

Ramos-Villagrasa, Pedro J.; Marques-Quinteiro, Pedro; Navarro, José; Rico, Ramón

doi:10.1177/1046496417713849

Cited by 83 publications

(90 citation statements)

References 130 publications

(113 reference statements)

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“…Despite the general acceptance of teams as complex adaptive systems, the examples of empirical research that incorporate this conceptualization remain scarce [32]. The present paper intends to be a contribution to understanding the complexity of team dynamics, by studying members' satisfaction with the team from a nonlinear dynamic system perspective, taking into account the role played by conflict and conflict management.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Actually, discrepancies like these ones appear and have been, mainly, treated as irregularities because the linear and reductionist approach is not able to capture the complexity of teams [30,31,32]. In order to understand the dynamic nature of teams, one should adopt perspectives and methods that recognize the nonlinear nature of the relationships between team inputs, processes and outcomes [33].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Cusp Catastrophe Model for Satisfaction, Conflict, and Conflict Management in Teams

Dimas

Rebelo

Lourenço

et al. 2018

Computational Science and Its Applications – ICCSA 2018

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Abstract. Teams are now a structural feature in organizations, and conflict, which is recognized as an inescapable phenomenon in the team context, has become an area of increased research interest. While the literature shows contradictory results regarding the impact of conflicts on teams, the strategies used to manage them have shown that can help to explain the differentiated effects of conflict situations. Adopting a nonlinear dynamic system perspective, this research tests a cusp catastrophe model for explaining team members' satisfaction, considering the roles of conflict and of conflict management. In this model, the conflict type is the asymmetry variable and conflict-handling strategies are the bifurcation variables. The sample is composed of 44 project teams, and data was collected at two points (half-way through and at the end of the project). The presence of a cusp catastrophe structure in the data was tested through both the dynamic difference equation modeling approach, which implements the least squares regression technique, and the indirect method, which uses the maximum likelihood estimation of the parameters. The results suggest that the cusp model is superior to the linear model when the bifurcation variables are passive strategies, while less clear results were found when active strategies are considered. Thus, the findings show a tendency for a nonlinear effect of passive strategies on members' satisfaction. Accordingly, this study contributes to the literature by presenting passive conflict-handling strategies in a bifurcation role, which suggests that beyond a certain threshold of the use of these kind of strategies, teams might oscillate between two attractors.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Cusp Catastrophe Model for Satisfaction, Conflict, and Conflict Management in Teams

Dimas

Rebelo

Lourenço

et al. 2018

Computational Science and Its Applications – ICCSA 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With team research becoming more prevalent across disciplines [1], there remain some unresolved issues. One unresolved issue is in conceptualizing or theorizing teams as complex adaptive systems (CAS; [1]). Even though this advancement in conceptualizing teams as CAS has started to gain momentum, empirical research has yet to catch up [1].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One unresolved issue is in conceptualizing or theorizing teams as complex adaptive systems (CAS; [1]). Even though this advancement in conceptualizing teams as CAS has started to gain momentum, empirical research has yet to catch up [1]. One advantage of viewing teams as CAS is that it better positions research and theory building efforts in a team's natural setting, occurring closer to the phenomena [1].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Complex Adaptive Team Systems (CATS): Scaling of a Team Leadership Development Model

Turner¹,

Baker²,

Romine³

2020

Digital Leadership - A New Leadership Style for the 21st Century

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Complex adaptive systems (CAS) have been identified as being hard to comprehend, composed of multiple interacting components acting interdependently with overlapping functions aimed at adapting to external/environmental forces. The current theoretical model utilized the natural functions of teams, viewing teams as a complex adaptive system, to develop the structure of the theory of complex adaptive team systems (CATS). The CATS model was formulated around the components of complexity theory (interactions, nonlinearity, interdependency, heterogeneity, complex systems, emergence, self-organizing, and adaptability) to show its utility across multiple domains (the role of leadership, organizational learning, organizational change, collective cognitive structures, innovation, crossbusiness-unit collaborations). In theorizing the CATS model, a new level of analysis was implemented, the interactions between agents as a move toward emergence in complex systems. The CATS model ultimately provides a model for organizations/ institutions to drive knowledge creation and innovation while operating in today's complexity.

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Toward the incorporation of temporal interaction analysis techniques in modeling and understanding sociotechnical systems

David

Schraagen

Endedijk

2021

Hum Ftrs & Erg Mfg Svc

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The increased complexity of modern sociotechnical systems (STS) necessitates the need for a manageable representation of their attributes, to augment our understanding and enable the development of ways through which we can increase their effectiveness, efficiency, and safety. Although many of the methodologies developed in the Human Factors domain map and investigate system properties and network structures, the inclusion of the temporal dimension in the analysis of STS remains limited. In this paper we present how modeling and visualization of STS can be augmented with the incorporation of temporal interaction analysis techniques that enable a micro-level, fine-grained analysis of data. We provide an overview of temporal analysis techniques by breaking down their main function, requirements, types of research questions they can address, and the visualization properties they offer, attempting to enhance their use in system analysis. This overview can assist researchers in selecting an analysis technique, enabling the incorporation of temporality in STS analysis, and helping towards the design of improved and safer systems and interventions.

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Teams as Complex Adaptive Systems: Reviewing 17 Years of Research

Cited by 83 publications

References 130 publications

A Cusp Catastrophe Model for Satisfaction, Conflict, and Conflict Management in Teams

A Cusp Catastrophe Model for Satisfaction, Conflict, and Conflict Management in Teams

Complex Adaptive Team Systems (CATS): Scaling of a Team Leadership Development Model

Toward the incorporation of temporal interaction analysis techniques in modeling and understanding sociotechnical systems

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