The Science of Multiteam Systems

Abstract

Given the complexities of today’s workplace, organizations and agencies are progressively turning toward interdependent systems comprised of teams, or multiteam systems (MTSs), to accomplish multifaceted tasks in challenging environments. Subsequently, MTSs have grown in popularity in group and team research, spanning a breath of disciplines (psychology, organizational behavior, human factors, communication, and medicine). In this review, our goal is to highlight the existing research across a range of disciplines regarding MTSs that serves to answer the question, “What do we know about MTSs?” while also developing a future research agenda aimed at answering the question, “Where does our research need to go to better understand MTSs?” We specifically highlight the current trends, dynamics, and methodological issues in MTSs to further build the foundation for improving MTS effectiveness.

A New Multiteam System (MTS) Effectiveness Model

“…Zaccaro, Marks, and DeChurch's [9] model of multiteam system effectiveness includes the compositional, linkage, and developmental attributes (see also [12]). These attributes serve as antecedents to both multiteam-intrateam (within) and interteam (between) processes that lead to an effective MTS [9].…”

“…Inter-and intra-team processes and outcomes, as identified by Shuffer et al [12], include attitudes (e.g., cohesion, social identity, trust), behaviors (e.g., conflict, interpersonal behaviors, transition behaviors), cognitions (e.g., shared mental models, transactive memory system) and performance outcomes (e.g., goal attainment, innovation, team satisfaction) that have been represented in the recent literature related to MTSs [12]. Their research highlighted which emerging states, either via processes or outcomes, were associated with intra-team dynamics (within team), inter-team dynamics (between teams), or both [12].…”

“…These new organizational structures (team-based organizations, virtual organizations and matrix organizations) include "tightly coupled constellations of teams" [9] (p. 4), also known as MTSs. Calls have been made by researchers to expand research on teams that include MTSs as a new level of analysis [10][11][12] and to reconfigure current theories, frameworks, and models so that they accommodate this new level of analysis.…”

“…In terms of MTSs, multiteam effectiveness has been considered by three primary attributes: compositional, linkage, and developmental [9,12]. Compositional attributes represent the demographics and characteristics of component teams [9], identifying both the individual team and MTS characteristics.…”

“…Compositional attributes represent the demographics and characteristics of component teams [9], identifying both the individual team and MTS characteristics. Linkage attributes identify the connections and communication channels between teams, whereas developmental attributes look at how MTSs develop and mature over time [9,12]. When MTSs are involved, multiteam effectiveness is accomplished, in part from "the ability of component teams to integrate their actions successfully in response to the kinds of environmental events [complexity] that instigate their formation" [9] (p. 25).…”