Why and when hierarchy impacts team effectiveness: A meta-analytic integration.

Abstract

Hierarchy has the potential to both benefit and harm team effectiveness. In this article, we meta-analytically investigate different explanations for why and when hierarchy helps or hurts team effectiveness, drawing on results from 54 prior studies (N = 13,914 teams). Our findings show that, on net, hierarchy negatively impacts team effectiveness (performance: ρ = -.08; viability: ρ = -.11), and that this effect is mediated by increased conflict-enabling states. Additionally, we show that the negative relationship between hierarchy and team performance is exacerbated by aspects of the team structure (i.e., membership instability, skill differentiation) and the hierarchy itself (i.e., mutability), which make hierarchical teams prone to conflict. The predictions regarding the positive effect of hierarchy on team performance as mediated by coordination-enabling processes, and the moderating roles of several aspects of team tasks (i.e., interdependence, complexity) and the hierarchy (i.e., form) were not supported, with the exception that task ambiguity enhanced the positive effects of hierarchy. Given that our findings largely support dysfunctional views on hierarchy, future research is needed to understand when and why hierarchy may be more likely to live up to its purported functional benefits. (PsycINFO Database Record

Nurses’ voice: the role of hierarchy and leadership

“…Specifically, team members may be afraid to be rejected, punished, or criticised by the recipient of voice, who is usually a person in a formally higher-status position (Milliken and Lam, 2009;Morrison, 2014). In general, hierarchy in groups refers to vertical differences (i.e., power differences) between group members (e.g., Greer et al, 2018). Hierarchy in healthcare is linked to differences in clinical authority, for example, between nurses and physicians (Omura et al, 2017).…”

Traffic police officers’ use of first aid skills at work: a qualitative content analysis of focus group discussions in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

“…However, senior o cers were in charge of managing crash scenes and injured victims regardless of their knowledge. Therefore decisions based on hierarchy rather than expertise and team spirit may not achieve the best patient outcomes (21). Moreover, other work-related responsibilities may overwhelm o cers with rst aid training and reduce their opportunities to perform rst aid.…”

Traffic police officers’ use of first aid skills at work: a qualitative content analysis of focus group discussions in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

“…However, senior o cers were in charge of managing crash scenes and injured victims regardless of their knowledge. Therefore decisions based on hierarchy rather than expertise and team spirit may not achieve the best patient outcomes (21).…”